Often alcohol contributes to this seeming effect of time altering. The reality however is that it just 'seems' to affect it because alcohol inhibits the brain's ability to function correctly, especially in matters of memory and logic.
While one could restrict their consumption of alcohol to reduce this, one has to also ask themself what the point of being off of work would even be then?
😉
However, if you are looking for the <i>actual</i> truth behind the the reason why time moves faster while off of work than while at work the answer itself is simple: Time is measured in two ways.
Traditionally modern man measures time using abstract devices of measurement called 'clocks'. The advantage to using this form of measurement is that cycles of time measured in this way are always identical no matter the location or situation. (Well ... almost. As in all things there are always exceptions when extreme situations are involved.) It is a shining example of man's ability to create mechanical devices to correct our own shortcomings.
Man however did not always have a 'clock' to use for measuring time. This brings us to the other way to measure time which is more instinctive to us, being a part of our very nature. In this method time is measured in a relational manner using the processing capability of our brains. It is similar to a trick used by many game programmers to ensure smooth performance of the interface regardless of the CPU's processing capabilities. Frequently measured in 'ticks', this method of time measurement is simply based upon how many iterations we observe. Should something affect the amount of abstract time needed to observe the relational ticks, then the number of relational ticks that occur over a given period of abstract time will change. Thus relational ticks are highly dependant upon their environment and the many influences it has upon our relational processor, the brain.
Unlike for games however which use the method of measuring 'ticks' to limit the amount of processing power involved so that the time flow feels equal regardless of processing power available, humans measure time in 'ticks' with as much processing power as can be made available.
While at work our brain is often times uninvolved in any significant processing, and therefore can spend more resources in the process of counting relational ticks. While at play our brain is quite frequently heavily occupied by many various enjoyable processes. Because of this it has less resources to use in counting relational ticks.
So the end result is that as humans, relational time measured in 'ticks' at work moves slowly because we can observe more units of time passing with nothing filling them. At home the measurement of relational time moves quickly however because we observe less 'ticks' between significant events, even if the same number of units of abstract time (as measured by a clock) are spent in activity.
And upon completing this post I am both surprised at my ability to BS and amazed at the complexity in which could have been simply said "Time flies while having fun." :O
"<i>Let's see what <b>Paragraph 84-B</b> has to say about it.</i>" - Thief from <A HREF="http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=030724" target="_new">8-Bit Theater</A>
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