A new psychology study suggests that the feeling of time “flying by” is driven more by personal growth and satisfaction than by dull routines. Published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the research challenges the idea that monotony makes memories feel shorter. Instead, fulfillment and nostalgia appear to shorten our sense of elapsed time.
For many people, including Thais, life often feels like years, semesters, or summers pass too quickly. In Thai culture, the expression “เวลาเหมือนสายน้ำ” (time is like a river) captures this shared sentiment, echoed during festivals such as Songkran and Loy Krathong. The study sheds light on why these moments seem to hurry by and what underlies that perception.
The study tracked nearly 2,500 participants across stages of life—from university students to older adults. Participants recalled specific life periods, such as an academic year or a holiday break, and described whether the time felt routine or exciting, whether it included growth or fulfillment, and how many standout moments they remembered. They also rated how fast the period seemed in hindsight.
Challenging the routine-compression theory, which links dull days to a faster sense of time, the findings show a more nuanced picture. While some routine periods felt swift, the number of memorable events didn’t consistently predict time speed. Instead, periods infused with satisfaction, immersion, and nostalgia tended to be remembered as passing quickly.
The researchers proposed two ideas. The first, “growth-immersion,” suggests that time feels faster when people are deeply engaged in meaningful activities, similar to the flow state familiar to athletes, artists, and high-achieving students. The second, “growth-longing,” indicates that looking back with nostalgia for periods of progress creates a bittersweet sense of fleetingness.
Using models that included self-reported satisfaction and nostalgia alongside perceptions of growth, the team found that once satisfaction and nostalgia were accounted for, growth alone did not predict the speed of time. In short, satisfaction and nostalgia—often outcomes of growth—drive the sense of time passing quickly.
A lead researcher noted that time appears to pass swiftly when routine is combined with fulfillment, immersion, and a touch of nostalgia. The message is clear: the more meaning and emotion loaded into an interval, the shorter it may feel in retrospect.
A psychology professor not affiliated with the study agrees these findings challenge traditional beliefs across cultures, including Thailand. In Thai families and communities, where education, family gatherings, and festivals shape the year, growth and shared joy can fuel both nostalgia and the sense that time moves quickly. This research helps reframe the perception as a sign of a rich, engaged life.
The study has practical implications for Thais of all ages. For Bangkok students adapting to academic life or adults recalling decades of family milestones, the sense that time is flying may reflect a life filled with meaningful experiences rather than emptiness. The researchers note that the routine effect was more pronounced among older, diverse participants, suggesting age-related shifts in how routine is experienced.
Methodologically, the study relied on self-reported, cross-sectional data, which cannot establish causation. It is possible that people who are inherently more satisfied or nostalgic are more likely to feel that time passes quickly. Longitudinal research could reveal how changes in satisfaction, identity, and nostalgia influence our internal sense of time.
Thai culture places strong value on meaningful rites and moments—graduations, ordinations, and annual temple visits, for example. Remembering these events with satisfaction and shared joy may contribute to both nostalgia and the perception that time has sped up.
For the future, these insights could influence how people approach life, education, and mental well-being. Rather than fearing that time is slipping away, Thais may view a fast-moving timeline as evidence of a life rich in growth and connection. The study suggests that filling life with purposeful activities, projects, and relationships can enhance well-being and create cherished memories that make time feel meaningful.
Practical takeaways for Thai readers: reframe fast-moving periods as signs of fulfillment. Celebrate milestones, pursue challenging projects, participate in cultural experiences, and nurture relationships. These steps are likely to boost satisfaction, deepen nostalgia, and align with the science of how we perceive time.
In summary, time’s speed may reflect how vividly we live, not merely how routine our days are. By prioritizing meaningful growth and shared joy, Thai communities can cultivate a life that feels rich and well-lived—even as moments seem to pass in a blink.
According to research from established institutions, findings highlight the interplay between daily meaning, emotional engagement, and memory in shaping our clock. Data from reputable psychology programs shows that fulfillment and nostalgia are central to why time feels like it’s flying.