Originally published on Advisor Perspectives

I want to stop the clock, or at least slow it down. Time is moving too fast for me.

I know how to do it. Implementing these strategies has made me less anxious and happier.

A difference in perception

An article in ScienceAlert resonated with me. It noted the difference in our perception of time as we age. When we are children, time seems to pass slowly. As we age, it seems to move at lightning speed.

According to Steve Taylor, the author of Making Time, it doesn’t have to be this way. Once we understand why our perceptions change at different stages in our life, we can utilize this knowledge to alter the way we think about time.

Fewer new experiences

Children find almost everything fascinating. Did you ever go to a grocery store with a young child? If so, you heard questions about the most mundane items, like: “What are corn flakes?” “Why is food put in a can?” and “Why do you have to peel a banana?”

Children have a wonderful sense of curiosity about everything.

As we age, we get more jaded. We’ve experienced a lot. We don’t have as many questions. As Taylor notes, “[W]e become desensitised to our experience, which means that we process less information, and time seems to speed up.”

Reversing the trend

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can reverse the trend by engaging in new experiences (travel, relationships, information and hobbies) that give us back that sense of wonderment we experienced in our youth.

We can also slow down time by being more mindful. Instead of focusing on “what’s next,” we can experience life in the moment by relishing whatever we are experiencing. I’ve found meditation is the most effective way to stop agonizing about the past or worrying about the future.

The combination of seeking new experiences and staying “in the present” is very effective in slowing down our perception that time is passing us by.

A collateral benefit

While reducing anxiety and increasing your level of happiness are worthy goals, advisors who implement these suggestions can reap an additional benefit: more AUM.

Every time you meet a prospect, consider it a new experience. There’s a lot you can learn once you focus on eliciting information from that person, rather than talking about yourself. Go back to the example of the child in the grocery store and replicate that behavior. Here are some suggested areas of inquiry:

Who is this person? How did they get to where they are in life? How did they meet their spouse? Do they have children? What are their hobbies?

When you show a genuine, authentic curiosity about others, you are actually implementing The Solin Process. If you actively listen to each response and ask follow-up questions, you’ll be amazed at how much you learn.

You’ll also make an emotional connection with the prospect, which is critical to the conversion process.