Languish and the Passage of Time
I was genuinely in awe when I realized it was already May. Yet, at the same time, April felt exceptionally long. Based on articles I’ve read and conversations I’ve had, I know I’m not alone in perceiving time differently since the start of the pandemic but I never actually looked into what was making that so. The New York Times recently published an article about how 2021 can likely be summed up for many by the word languish. The author described languish as a feeling of “stagnation and emptiness” or “the absence of well-being”. I remembered this article as I looked into the passage of time and was not surprised to find some connection between the two.
Studies have shown that our emotions greatly influence our perception of time. Another article explained how when we experience something new, time often feels slowed down as that experience generates emotion and becomes a sort of reference point in our lives. Alternatively, when we are immersed in an activity that we find enjoyable, we might enter a “flow” state, where time feels like it passes faster than usual. There’s likely been less opportunity to engage in either since the start of the pandemic due to a variety of different factors. If our days consistently feel uninspiring, monotonous, and/or like the boundaries between different parts of our lives have blurred, we’re going to perceive time differently than we did in the past. This shift, and therefore altered sense of time, can impact our overall well-being. As summer approaches, things are starting to feel more hopeful, but if you find yourself experiencing languish or your perception of time still feels altered, here are some ideas that might help:
Establish or reassess your routine. Routine adds structure to your day which can help separate out the different parts of it.
Engage in activities or tasks with a clear and defined beginning, middle, and end.
Incorporate something new into your day. Find small ways to change up your experience or environment to help break-up the monotony.
If you’re working from home, create boundaries between work and personal time. This might look limiting screen time for work email as not to be tempted.
What’s something that allows you to enter a “flow” state? Carve out uninterrupted time to engage in these types of activities.
Therapy can also help you better understand how things are impacting you and ways to cope with your unique situation. Schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation with one of our therapists.
