How to live forever, or die trying

Want to make life seem as if it will last forever? It may mean quitting your job or deciding to walk to school instead of driving.

According to Alva Noe, a writer and philosophy professor at UC Berkley, a way to make life seem longer is to break habits and venture outside your comfort zone. By doing so people must adapt to new surroundings which takes more time. This gives the appearance of a longer, more fulfilled life, according to Noe.

In an Oct. 1 article on the NPR (National Public Radio) website titled, "How to Live Forever! Or Why Habits Are A Curse," Noe explains that habits create arcs in time which makes life seem to go by faster. As the old saying goes, "time flies when you're having fun," and Noe believes that moving outside a pattern of familiarity will allow time to expand and will give the appearance of a longer life. He added that by stopping these arcs people lose their expertise on a routine and must adapt to a new schedule.

Noe believes that breaking habits will cause individuals to leave a "safety zone." These zones allow people to become comfortable with a style of living; this style results in a routine that Noe believes makes life go by fast and although they may be convenient, people miss out on other aspects of life.

Noe said simple tasks such as putting down a cigarette, crawling to work or even ending a marriage will cause life to seem longer. "If you do this, each day will become an eternity," he said. "You won't live forever but it will seem like forever."

Not all methods to living a longer, more fulfilling life include changing up routines. According to Mike Zimmerman in a September  2010 Men's Health article titled, "How to Live Better on 24 Hours a Day," getting up an hour earlier everyday will give the feeling of a longer day. Zimmerman also mentioned going to sleep earlier, keeping busy during downtime and even scheduling a vacation will allow individuals to get more out of a day and feel more satisfied. These suggestions pale in comparison to Noe's, who believes drastic changes will create the best results.

"In many cases people go through the motions and maybe don't experience as much as they ought to in a given day," Jack Croxton, a professor of psychology, said. "We're not as observant as we could be and so we do just get into the habits. And so days go by and we ask ourselves ‘where did those days go?' because our minds weren't that engaged."

Croxton said that as people get caught up in routines they tend to flow through life. "Some people get so absorbed … the rest of the world disappears," he said. "It's a very exhilarating experience."

Croxton, who currently teaches a positive psychology class, said he regularly teaches students how to get the most out of life. Simple tasks such as accepting gratitude and learning to forgive other people can make life more satisfying.

Part of the class involves understanding and making the most out of life's simple pleasures. Croxton added that the course does a good job of providing some positives in life, "But it's not like a Dr. Phil sort of course where ‘come to my class and I'll make you happy,'" Croxton said with a laugh. "Positive psychology is the study about what is good about people and what we can do to learn about ourselves."  

This isn't to say he completely disagrees with Noe's theory of life changing habits.

Croxton understands Noe's position on breaking habits but doesn't believe it will translate to a longer life. Croxton said drastic steps such as breaking off a marriage will not make life seem longer because, "lots of research has shown people live longer when they're in happy relationships so I wouldn't take it to that extent." Croxton added that simpler tasks such as volunteering or helping others is the best way to get the most out of life.

Some students believe Noe's theory of breaking habits to prolong life works on paper as long as the habits broke are not life altering. A few students at Fredonia believe a few minor changes in routine could benefit individuals down the road.

"It could be a possibility," said Ken Mcaleese, a junior music education major on breaking minor habits to change things up. "It makes sense if you think about it. It seems plausible to me." Mcaleese said extremes such as quitting a job or ending a marriage would most likely work in only extreme cases but not in stable situations as Noe suggests. "I don't see what any good that would do," he added.

Other students believe a simple change in habits may also add a little excitement to their day.

According to Michelle Cohen, a freshmen music therapy major, breaking old habits may be a fun way to shake life up. "It's fun to do new things. I always enjoy it," she said. "It's possible it may make life longer [but] I'm not sure about that." Cohen added that for some individuals moving away from a comfortable lifestyle may make life appear longer but would cause more problems than good.