When you are anxiously waiting for something to happen, time seems to pass more slowly.
This phrase emerged in the mid-1800s, reflecting the common kitchen experience of impatiently waiting for water to boil. It captures a universal psychological phenomenon where focused attention on waiting makes time feel slower, and became a standard way to advise patience.
This phrase describes a real neurological phenomenon called "time dilation under attention." When we focus intently on waiting, our brains process more temporal information, making us hyper-aware of time's passage. Paradoxically, distraction actually makes things happen "faster" because we're not monitoring every second!
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