I recently came across a thought-provoking article by Chuck Woodbury from the travel website RV Travel that offered a metaphor which, frankly, was quite insightful. It explained the idea that life is like a roll of toilet paper; the closer you get to the end, the faster it spins.
It’s simple, yet it makes a lot of sense. When the roll is full, like in youth, each rotation dispenses a long strip. Time feels slow and expansive. Midway through life, the same rotation yields less paper. Time begins to accelerate. Near the end, each spin gives just a few inches. Suddenly, the years fly by.
This metaphor beautifully captures the psychological experience of aging. But what’s even more striking is how little we seem to adjust our lives in response to this shift in perception. If time feels like it’s slipping away, shouldn’t we be more intentional about how we spend it? Shouldn’t we prioritize joy, purpose and health over obligation, routine and burnout?
Some studies have found evidence that the sooner people retire, the more years it may add to their lives. For instance, a Dutch study found that early retirement decreased the probability that a man dies within 5 years. And a study in the Journal of Human Resources found “the retirement effect on health is beneficial and significant.”
There are studies that suggest the opposite, but the data can reflect complex factors, ranging from the type of work done to the prior health of people involved in the studies.
Even if the picture is more complicated, the broader point remains: chronic stress, lack of autonomy, deferred gratification and a lack of control over one’s life can take a serious toll on health.
So why do we keep pushing ourselves to work longer, harder and deeper into our lives?
Part of it is cultural. We glorify hustle. We equate productivity with worth. And we often delay joy, telling ourselves we’ll enjoy life “later” — after the next promotion, after the kids are grown, after retirement. Unfortunately, for many who don’t own their home or don’t have financial flexibility, working longer isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity.
But for those who do have options, what if “later” never comes? What if the toilet paper roll is spinning faster than we think?
Psychologists have long studied why time feels like it speeds up as we age. It’s not just a metaphor, it’s a measurable shift in perception. One compelling explanation comes from Cindy Lustig, a psychology professor at the University of Michigan, who emphasizes that memory richness plays a key role in how we perceive time retrospectively. When our days are filled with routine, they tend to blur together, making months and years feel shorter.
“The less rich your representation is, the more it’s going to seem like the time went by quickly,” she stated on the university’s website.
Read the complete article in Belleville Intelligencer
