By Yagmur Dumandag
Introduction
Have you ever felt like time has been moving faster than ever, but you can’t explain why? Since 2020, many people have felt like time has been speeding up. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with the change of routines, shifts in technology, and an increase in mental health issues, has led to us have this feeling. But why does it feel this way? The following research aims to clarify the changes in psychological, emotional, and societal factors that have been happening in our lives in the past couple of years.
Psychological Perception of Time
Humans don’t perceive time like a clock. Instead, we perceive time through cognitive processes, biological rhythms, and emotional states. Have you realised that time flies by faster when you’re having fun? Also, how it’s slower when you’re bored? It feels that way because you’re brain is focused on engaging, novel experiences, leaving fewer “mental stamps”, which makes the duration feel shorter. Our perception of time can also change due to age, for example, a year in school now, in comparison to a year in school when you were younger. Now, a school year may feel shorter because your brain has gotten used to going to school every day. Lastly, there is attention. When you pay attention to time, it seems to pass by more slowly. Similarly, when you don’t pay attention to time (you are distracted or absorbed), it seems like it goes by faster.
The Impact of the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed our lives all around the world, and one of it’s more subtle but powerful effects was how it changed our perception of time. Time doesn’t always pass like we believe it does; our perception of it can change due to emotions, age, attention, memory, stress, and mental health conditions. During COVID, every day was a repeat of the day before and the day after. Wake up. Screen on. School from the same chair. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. This was a monotony or routine. The monotony of the daily routine during lockdown made it hard to differentiate one day from the next. Routine can make time go faster, while novelty (new experiences and memories) can slow it down. Whether it’s attending classes, sticking to a schedule, or doing homework. It feels as if time is slipping away. During the pandemic, when everyone had little variety, time sped by and blurred up. The lack of new things leads to a decline in cognitive function, learning, memory, and overall brain health.
Emotional and Mental Effects
Emotion can change your perception of time. Emotions like stress or anxiety make you hyperaware and process more details, which can make time feel slower. On the other hand, emotions like joy or happiness can make time pass by faster because you’re less focused on tracking it, and are immersed in the moment.
Furthermore, your mental state also plays a major role in how you perceive time. Depression and anxiety often make time feel like it’s dragging, with days blending into each other. Flow states (deep focus or enjoyment) can make time feel like it’s sped up.
How to Regain Your Sense of Time
You might be asking how you should regain your perception of time. Firstly, practice mindfulness – pay close attention to your surroundings through deep breaths, or pay attention to small details. Secondly, break your routines by introducing yourself to new things, like a board game, a new language, or a sport. Third, try to limit multitasking. Fourth, reflect on what you did in a journal; writing about what you did on that day can help you remember it more clearly. Lastly, take care of your mental state, sleep, exercise, and communicate with others.
Conclusion
Time isn’t something that is fixed – it’s shaped by how we feel and think. Whether time flies by when we are without friends, or drags during times of stress, we have to remember that we can control the moment. It is within us that colors every second we are with ourselves. By staying positive, mindful, and keeping new experiences with us, we can take back control over how we live each moment—every second of our life matters.