Could there be a relatively peaceful solution to the shard problem?

[Rannie]

They don't really need to, the time bubble concept has been taken massively out of context anyway.

If I recall correctly it was mentioned way back before even ARR had released, let alone any expansions, as a 'Simpsons' style excuse for avoiding the problem of the characters (mainly the twins) getting older.

It was never meant to be taken as literal canon that everything that we ever do happens within the span of one year.

Except for during canon cutscenes it explicitly states only so many years has passed take for example after you fight the Saphire Weapon ala Gundam style, the Elezen with Gauis during the cutscene states that Ala Mhigo fell 20 years prior, which it also states the same when you start up or go into the description for Part 1 of New Game Plus for Stormblood canonically we are still in 1577 and puts us 5 years after 1.0.