March 8, 2025 – 5 min read
For nervous flyers, time moves painfully slow on a plane. I get it. I’ve been there, counting the minutes, checking the distance left on the screen. You might feel like you’ve been sitting there for hours, only to check the flight map and realize you still have five more to go. But here’s the secret: a flight feels long only when you’re hyper-focused on it. The more engaged your mind is with something else, the faster time flies, literally. That’s where distraction techniques come in, they help shift your focus and make the journey feel much shorter.
I’ve tested countless of them, and here are my best tricks to keep your mind occupied from takeoff to landing.
One of the biggest mistakes anxious flyers make is thinking of the flight as one giant block of time. This can feel overwhelming. Instead, try breaking it down into smaller, manageable segments to make the journey feel more like a series of activities rather than one long stretch.
By structuring your time this way, the flight feels like a sequence of activities rather than an endless stretch. This is one of the most effective distraction techniques for nervous flyers.
Movies and TV shows are classic distractions, but not all content is equally effective. Choose something that captivates your attention and keeps you engaged:
If staring at a screen for hours isn’t your thing, audio entertainment is a great alternative:
If movies and audio aren’t your thing, a book or game on your phone can be just as effective:
Journaling on a flight is seriously underrated. It shifts your focus from nervousness to creativity. Looking over the world from the sky is the perfect time for reflection.
Before you know it, you’ll look up and realize you’re so much closer to landing.
Your body and mind are connected, so staying physically comfortable can make the flight feel shorter.
If you can sleep on a plane, the flight will feel like it lasted five minutes. But even if you can’t, resting your body still helps pass the time.
Even if you don’t fully doze off, just closing your eyes and relaxing can make time pass faster and leave you feeling more refreshed when you land.
The key to making a flight feel shorter is simple: don’t give it your full attention. The more engaged your mind is with something else, the less time you spend worrying about the flight itself.
Try combining a few of these techniques on your next trip and see what works best for you. Before you know it, you’ll be at your destination!
The Calm Cabin was created by a once-terrified flyer who finally overcame her fear of flying, and is now on a mission to help others do the same.
If the thought of stepping on a plane fills you with anxiety, you’re not alone. This space is here to support, reassure, and empower you to take off with confidence, so you can finally enjoy traveling and discover the world with ease and peace of mind.
© 2025 I thecalmcabin.com