It's all a matter of time.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Modern life's increasing demands and automation paradoxically reduce perceived time availability.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and associated quarantines have profoundly disrupted individuals' subjective experience of time.

Discussion:

• The pandemic induced a surreal state, altering time perception unpredictably—shrinking, expanding, or freezing it.
• Individuals experienced events as uncontrollable forces, leading to significant psychological upheaval.

Key Insights:

• Subjective time perception is highly vulnerable to external crises like pandemics.
• The pandemic's impact extends beyond immediate health concerns to fundamental changes in daily life and outlook.

Outlook:

• The pandemic's effects on time perception and daily rhythms suggest a permanent shift in human experience.
• Future societal structures and individual psychology will be shaped by these pandemic-induced alterations.