How to Make Each Day Count for More

Summary

Podcast Summary: Help Wanted - "How to Make Each Day Count for More"

Episode Overview

In the February 6, 2025 episode of Help Wanted, hosted by Jason Feifer, Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur magazine, and co-host Nicole Lapin, a money expert, the discussion centers around optimizing daily experiences to create a richer and more fulfilling life. Drawing insights from neuroscience, the episode explores how our perception of time is influenced by the formation of memories and offers practical strategies to make each day more memorable and meaningful.

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Understanding the Perception of Time

Jason Feifer opens the conversation by reflecting on the swift passage of time and the universal desire to make the most of every moment. He introduces a fascinating concept learned from Philippe Debregard, a professor at Duke University's Institute for Brain Sciences, regarding the relationship between memory and time perception.

Jason Feifer [04:30]: "Our memories are deeply tied to our sense of time. So if you want more time, here is the simplest thing that you can do: create more memories."

Feifer explains that our brains do not function as precise clocks or hard drives. Instead, they rely on episodic memory to sequence events, which can often blur ordinary days unless something noteworthy occurs. This phenomenon is due to the brain's tendency to prioritize new and unique experiences, which it deems more important for learning and survival.

Jason Feifer [05:15]: "Memory is extraordinarily sensitive to breakings of events."

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The Science of Memory and Time Perception

Delving deeper, Feifer elaborates on Debregard's research, highlighting that our brains are wired to segment experiences to better remember significant events. This segmentation is an evolutionary trait designed to help early humans remember crucial information like encounters with enemies or discovery of new food sources, rather than routine activities like daily hunts.

Jason Feifer [06:05]: "When you travel, your days feel unusually long because your brain is creating more memorable segments."

He explains that during periods filled with novel experiences—such as traveling or starting a new job—our perception of time expands because our brains are actively creating and storing more memories. Conversely, repetitive and unchanging routines lead to a sense of time dragging, as fewer memorable events are recorded.

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Practical Strategies to Enhance Daily Memories

Building on this understanding, Feifer shares actionable advice on how listeners can make each day count by intentionally introducing new experiences. He recounts a personal anecdote where he chose to engage in an unexpected archery lesson with a colleague, which not only enriched his day but also left a lasting memory.

Jason Feifer [09:20]: "If I said yes, I would try archery for the first time, get to know Chris a little better, and remember what I did that day."

Feifer encourages listeners to prioritize experiences that are likely to be memorable over mundane tasks. By doing so, individuals can create a richer tapestry of memories, making their lives feel longer and more fulfilling.

Jason Feifer [10:00]: "Optimize for what you will remember. The more marks you make, the more memories you make and the longer your path will feel."

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Implementing Segmentation in Daily Life

To effectively apply segmentation, Feifer suggests being mindful of daily choices and opting for activities that break the monotony. Whether it's taking on a new hobby, engaging in spontaneous conversations, or exploring unfamiliar places, these actions can significantly impact how we perceive the passage of time.

Nicole Lapin adds to the discussion by emphasizing financial discipline and the importance of balancing work responsibilities with enriching personal experiences. She highlights tools and strategies that can help manage time and resources more effectively, ensuring that individuals have both the financial freedom and the time to pursue memorable experiences.

Nicole Lapin [07:45]: "Make progress towards a better financial future with Chime. Open your account in two minutes."

(Note: The above quote pertains to a promotional segment and is included here for context based on transcript content. In a typical summary, promotional content might be omitted unless directly relevant to the episode's main discussion.)

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Conclusion and Takeaways

As the episode wraps up, Feifer reinforces the central theme that while we cannot physically extend time, we can enhance our experience of it by creating meaningful memories. He invites listeners to subscribe to his newsletter, One Thing Better each Week, for ongoing insights into building a successful and satisfying career.

Jason Feifer [10:50]: "We cannot stretch time, but we can stretch our experience of it."

Nicole Lapin concludes by encouraging listeners to reach out with their work-related challenges and to engage with the show’s community through social media platforms.

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Key Quotes

1. Jason Feifer [04:30]: "Our memories are deeply tied to our sense of time. So if you want more time, here is the simplest thing that you can do: create more memories."

2. Jason Feifer [05:15]: "Memory is extraordinarily sensitive to breakings of events."

3. Jason Feifer [09:20]: "If I said yes, I would try archery for the first time, get to know Chris a little better, and remember what I did that day."

4. Jason Feifer [10:00]: "Optimize for what you will remember. The more marks you make, the more memories you make and the longer your path will feel."

5. Jason Feifer [10:50]: "We cannot stretch time, but we can stretch our experience of it."

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Help Wanted offers compelling insights into the neuroscience of time perception and practical advice on how to make each day more meaningful. By understanding how our brains prioritize memorable events, listeners are empowered to make conscious choices that enrich their lives and foster a greater sense of fulfillment.

For those seeking to enhance their daily experiences and build a life filled with memorable moments, this episode provides both the scientific foundation and actionable strategies to achieve that goal.

Transcript

[Jason Pfeiffer]

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[Nicole Lapin]

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[Jason Pfeiffer]

This is help Wanted, the show that makes your work work for you. I'm Jason Pfeiffer, editor in chief of.

[Nicole Lapin]

Entrepreneur Magaz, and I'm money expert Nicole Lapin. On Tuesdays, Jason and I answer the helpline and help callers solve their work problems.

[Jason Pfeiffer]

And on Thursdays, I give you one way to improve your work and build a career or company you love.

[Nicole Lapin]

And it starts now.

[Jason Pfeiffer]

Can you believe that it is February already? You know, every year this happens. Like January flies by and then I'm already in February. 112 of the year is already gone. And I always have the same thought, which is time moves too fast. There's too much I want to do in this life, too much to see, too much to experience. And whatever unknowable amount of time I have left, another month, another year of it just seems to go poof. I'm sure you relate. In short, I we want more time. And I have good news. It's possible in a way. I called a scientist who studies memory and I learned a mind blowing thing. Our memories are deeply tied to our sense of time. So if you want more time, here is the simplest thing that you can create more memories. Today I will explain what that means, why it works, and how this year can be even richer, more memorable, and feel longer in the best way than the last one. But first, let's understand our brains. Our brains are a lot of things, but here are two things that they are not. Number one, our brains are not clocks. We have no internal clock or calendar, which is why we cannot remember if something happened in like last February or 2018, you know, instead, we perceive time through what's called episodic memory, which is to say that our brain organize memories into sequences which we then use as reference points for when other things happened. But this is tricky because number two, our brains aren't a hard drive. We are not built to remember everything. In fact, our brains are primarily a deletion device, clearing out most things to make room for the important stuff. So given all that, how do we remember anything and how do we know when anything happened? The answer is this. Memory is extraordinarily sensitive to breakings of events. That is a direct quote. Memory is extraordinarily sensitive to breakings of events. And I heard it from Philippe Debregard, a professor at Duke University's Institute for Brain Sciences. This is what he told me when I interviewed him about memory. And here's what this means. Your ordinary days blur together because your brain saw nothing worth remembering. You know, like, if today that you're listening to this episode, if today you just didn't do anything new or different, you're not really gonna remember what you did today. Like, maybe by the end of the day or tomorrow you just won't remember. But when you do something unusual, your brain forms a memory more easily, and those memories become how we mark time. Philippe de Burregard calls this segmenting. It is a survival instinct. Our brain filters out redundant information that might overwhelm us and prioritizes new things that help us learn and adapt faster. Early humans didn't need to recall every hunt that they went on, for example, because, you know, whatever, it was just another hunt. But they definitely did need to remember seeing enemies or new food sources, which is new information that can really impact them. So now flash forward to our modern times. This is why when you travel, like on days, when you travel, your days feel unusually long. I'm sure you've had this, like, you wake up in the morning, you go to the airport, you fly somewhere, and at the end of the day you're like, did I wake up this morning and go to the airport? It feels like it was days ago. And this is also why time seems to move slower during your first day on a job. When more unique things happen, more segments of memory are created which become reference points which stretch your sense of time. Now, here's how to use this to your advantage. I spoke to Philippe a few years ago when I was researching my book. It's called Build for Tomorrow. At the end of our conversation, he asked me this. He said, what life do you prefer? One in which you can have 50 experiences per week but won't remember any, or one in which you have 25 new experiences and remember them all? That question was like a revelation to me. And it gave me an idea. Now, whenever I am deciding between sameness and newness, between doing something ordinary this day or doing something new, I ask myself, which choice will I remember more? For example, a few months ago, I heard from a work friend named Chris. We had never actually met in person. She lives far away and so we've just collaborated, basically by email and phone like anybody else. But she was traveling to Brooklyn, where I live, and she asked me if I would take a mid afternoon archery lesson with her, which was just a random, fun way to finally meet. I'll Be honest, my first instinct was to say no to this because my days are jammed with work and it seemed irresponsible to step away for archery. But then I imagined how memorable my choices would be if I said no. I would stay home, finish some tasks and maybe answer a bunch of emails and I would not remember having done any of this. If I said yes, I would try archery for the first time, get to know Chris a little better, and remember what I did that day, even though fine, I would have some more work to do later. So I said yes and I'm glad I did. That happened nearly a year ago at this point, but I still remember it clearly, my day, month and year. And frankly, life just felt a little longer and fuller as a result. So what will you remember? Obviously, we cannot say yes to everything. We have work to do and tasks to perform. Some of it will be rote and unmemorable. Time is going to slip us by. But I urge you, as I now urge myself, optimize for what you will remember. I love Philippe's term for this segmentation. You can imagine time stretching out before you like an endless path of sameness. You walk this path. You walk it every day, but you are carrying a machete. Every time you do something new, you swing that machete down on this path of sameness and you create a segment along the path. It is your marker in time. And the more marks you make, the more memories you make and the longer your path will feel. Feel. The more I think about this, the bolder I become. I want to say yes to the new experience. I want to say yes to the unexpected conversation. I want to swing that machete hard, repeatedly, relentlessly. Like my life literally depends on it. Because segmentation just might be the closest thing that we have to cheating death. In other words, we cannot stretch time, but we can stretch our experience of it. And that came from my newsletter. As regular listeners know, I write a newsletter. It is called One Thing Better each Week. How to be more successful and satisfied and build a career or company you love. I read them here on Help Wanted every Thursday about a month or two after they come out in the inbox. So if you want to get my newsletters right when they come out, along with all sorts of cool other things that I put in that newsletter, then you just subscribe to One thing better Email. That is a web address. Plug it into a browser. One Thing Better Email and or stay tuned here on Help Wanted. Because I always read them here and you know, maybe go read my newsletter or listen to this podcast while taking a walk to an interesting place or doing something weird. Something you will remember. Help Wanted is a production of Money News Network. Help Wanted is hosted by me, Jason.

[Nicole Lapin]

Pfeiffer, and me, Nicole Lapman. Our executive producer is Morgan Lavoy. Do you want some help? Email our [e-mail] for the chance to have some of your questions answered on the show. And follow us on Instagramoneynews and TikTokoneyNewsNetwork for exclusive content and to see our beautiful faces. Maybe a little dance?

[Jason Pfeiffer]

Oh, I didn't sign up for that.

[Nicole Lapin]

All right, well, talk to you soon.