We are all human. And as such, we all have only 24 hours to spend in any given day. However, it is up to us how do we decide to spend these 24 hours. Also, there are also some ways how we can trick our brains to perceive time slower. This also affects our productivity. So, without any further ado, here are three tips to make your day last longer.

1. Get up earlier

This one is a no-brainer. If you get up earlier, you have more hours for being productive. In fact, some of the most successful people such as Tim Cook or Oprah Winfrey start their days at the crack of dawn. Imagine waking up at 6 am, exercising a bit and then tackling your tedious tasks like answering emails. Now, you have your whole normal workday for doing more important and creative tasks. This simple tip can easily give you a couple of hours more in your day.

If you get trouble waking up early, try eating more healthy and exercising. What can also help is using apps that monitor your natural sleep cycle and wake you up at the best possible time.

2. Introduce novelty

Our brains are marvelous things and they love all things new. As we receive new information, our brains need time to go through it. This makes time feel longer. Similarly, if we don’t receive any new information, our brains don’t have anything to work with. Because of this, we perceive time as faster. Feeding ourselves new information every day effectively tricks the brain to change its perception of time. This applies not only to new information but also to doing new things as well.

In summary: new things give the brain extra work to do which requires time, which leads us to perceive time as slower. What could you do to introduce novelty into your workday every day?

Exploring new things might also lead to great innovation or more productive ways to work. If you haven’t checked out AIESEC’s partnership portal, do so today!

3. Disconnect

Technology is appearing more and more in workplaces. However, if you want to extend the time you have at your disposal, using too many gadgets might actually harm you. In a study in James Cook University, researchers found out that using too much technology actually speeds up our perception of time.

Solution: disconnect. Not everything, you obviously need your computer and email. But what if you did your next brainstorming with old-fashioned pen and paper instead of typing it? Or if you spent your evenings reading instead of watching Netflix?

Conclusion

Here were our three tips to make your day last longer. With these tips, you can get more out of your day and be more productive in your work. Remember to introduce new things to your life every now and then, and wake up earlier to get a headstart to the day. And a great thing is that you can apply these to your personal life as well! How will you make your day last longer?