Image no longer available
Filmmaker/Getty Images

Transport yourself back to what summers were like as a kid. Savoring an ice pop in the backyard was like discovering treasure, running through the sprinkler was the highlight of your week, and the first day of camp was the most exciting thing to happen…ever. When back-to-school season finally rolled around, you’d lived several lifetimes since May.

In adulthood, summer seems over before it’s even started. The season is just as jam-packed as it’s always been, but beach days, baseball games, and Fourth of July fireworks seem to pass by in the blink of an eye. Why? The answer lies in our brains—and how we process novelty.

In scientific terms, novelty refers to stimuli that are new or unique to our brains. This can be as simple as tasting a new flavor, hearing a new song, or even experiencing that first day of camp as a kid—it just has to be new to you. And novel experiences make time feel as if it’s slowing down, according to research done by David Eagleman, PhD, a neuroscientist at Stanford and the author of Livewired. One early experiment showed participants a series of repetitive images with one embedded “oddball” image. Each image played for the same duration, but people reported that the oddball image lasted longer, because it was unique compared to the other sights.

“How you judge how much time has passed is based on memories you have,” explains Eagleman. “Your brain is like a sieve, capturing big events and transitions but not details.” That’s why your typical routine of work, chores, and school pickups blurs together in your mental rearview mirror, but dancing at the Cowboy Carter tour stands out.

Liz Moody, a journalist and the author of 100 Ways to Change Your Life, has taken Eagleman’s research to heart. “I looked back on the last few years of my life, and it felt like every single day was just blending together,” she says. After learning about his research, she started living by what she calls the “novelty rule” by throwing small changes into her daily routine to help slow down time. Our brain is constantly writing the book of our life, Moody says, but eventually, it stops taking note of the repetitive actions. “The novelty rule forces your brain to have new things to fill those pages with, which makes the book feel thicker, and you perceive your life as longer and more satisfying.”

Novel experiences don’t just make life feel more interesting and fulfilling. Eagleman has found that they also fortify your brain. “When the brain falls into routine, the tissue starts to degrade,” he says. “If you’re constantly building new roadways and bridges, a.k.a. neural pathways, that gives you some amount of refraction against degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.”

Luckily, the novelty rule is a breeze to implement. Moody breaks things up with weekly novelties (small shake-ups to her daily routine) and monthly ones (bigger experiences like hobbies and new adventures). Slot them into your calendar or to-do list, and journal about the experience afterward to add an extra boost of mindfulness and memory. Here are some ideas to help you get started.

Weekly Novelties to Try

None of these ideas will feel revolutionary, but that’s the point. These activities are meant to wake up your brain through breaks in the monotony. Infusing mindfulness into each experience will make it go the extra mile, health-wise. Engage with your senses, look at your surroundings instead of at your phone, and savor these moments.

  • Say no to the sad desk salad (at least once or twice a week) and enjoy your lunch in a new spot in the office or at home. Even better, dine al fresco in a nearby park or out in your yard.
  • “Drive a different route home from work every day—just go on different streets,” Eagleman says.
  • Try a new coffee shop for your morning latte. Bonus points: Order something off the specials menu to really disrupt your routine.
  • “Switch up your home office,” Eagleman says. “It can be as simple as taking two paintings on the wall and swapping them or moving your desk to the other side of the room.” Better yet, take your whole setup outside.
  • Try celebrating “Little Saturday,” a Nordic tradition that turns Hump Day into a night of fun and relaxation.
  • “Take off your wristwatch or Fitbit and wear it on the other hand,” Eagleman says. “It’s super annoying when you first do it, but your brain will get out of that autopilot mode.” It’s such a tiny change, but that moment when you realize you have to look at your left wrist instead of your right disrupts your brain.
  • In a food rut? Try mixing up your produce selection. “I like to buy different fruits and veggies at the farmers’ market or grocery store—maybe something I don’t even recognize,” Moody says. Ask the vendor how to cook that produce and that’s a novelty double-whammy.
  • Switch up your usual accessories—maybe a different necklace or scarf will add a little oomph. Or swipe on a bold lipstick color—you know you want to! Every time you glimpse yourself in the mirror, you’ll be surprised (hopefully in a good way).
  • “Brush your teeth with the other hand, or towel off after the shower in a different way,” Eagleman says. Even a simple shake-up kicks the monotony to the curb.
  • Cancel your usual Saturday pilates and challenge yourself to sign up for a different workout class. Kickboxing, anyone?
  • You can still chip away at your extensive summer reading list—just grab a book and venture out to your hammock or local library.
  • Before you queue up yet another true-crime docuseries, scan through the new releases in genres you usually avoid. Might we suggest something with subtitles so you have to pay attention?

Monthly Novelties

When you’ve exhausted all the coffee shops in your neighborhood, big-picture changes will keep the fresh energy strong. You might recognize these suggestions from summer bucket lists of yore (a.k.a. 2013), but the idea still holds water. Scheduling interesting or exciting activities a few times a month will fill your life with a ton of memorable experiences.

  • Noctourism is all the rage right now—but you don’t have to go far to enjoy nighttime sights. Pick a night to go stargazing (and don’t forget a mug of hot cocoa!). Moody recommends viewing the Perseid meteor shower later this summer, which peaks August 12.
  • Be a tourist in your hometown and spend a Saturday walking around a new neighborhood, Moody says.
  • Instead of driving to dinner, pull out your bike (or rent one) and ride it there.
  • Organize a book swap with friends. Not only is it a fun time, but you’ll also have something new to read when it’s over. “Having a friend pick a book for you means it might be the type you never would’ve picked up—and that’s the point,” Moody says.
  • Indulge in a do-nothing day—or afternoon. Unplug, take a breath, and just rest. (We know that’s a novel experience for you.)
  • Enjoy some outdoor music. “I think it is absolutely imperative to listen to music outside at least once during the summer, whether it’s a good concert, a street performer, or a classical symphony at the park,” Moody says. Your kids serenading you probably doesn’t count, but it could do in a pinch.
  • “Even sex can feel novel if you approach it with this sense of presence and mindfulness,” Moody says. You can spice it up with dirty talk, sex toys, or a schedule (no, really).
  • You know this one: Learn a new language, hobby, sport, or craft. Go to a dance class, join an intramural team, get out of that comfort zone.

Find more of Moody’s novelties on her podcast, here.

Exclusive Oprah Daily Digital Issues

a person sitting on a chair
Special Issue: Menopause
the new wave of psychedelics oprah special issue
Special Issue: The State of Psychedelics
Illustration by Martin O'Neill
oprah daily the beauty of age issue
Special Issue: The Beauty Issue
oprah daily travel issue 2025
Special Issue: The Travel Issue
the travel issue
Special Issue: The Travel Issue
Headshot of Cassie Hurwitz
Cassie Hurwitz
Associate Editor

Cassie Hurwitz (she/her) is an associate editor at Oprah Daily, where she covers everything from culture to entertainment to lifestyle. She can typically be found in the middle of multiple books and TV shows all at once. Previously, Cassie worked at Parents, Rachael Ray In Season, and Reveal. Her love language is pizza (New York slices, Chicago deep dish, and otherwise).