If you feel life is on hold, shake that feeling. Don't give into the feeling that you have been robbed of precious time to build your future or live your life! Here's how to take control
Nona Walia
One of the biggest challenges of the pandemic has been the feeling of life is put on hold. The difficulties faced by people who want to live a faster paced life is leaving them frustrated and agitated. Dr Yseult Freeney, associate professor in organisational psychology at Dublin City University, said in an interview -- young adults were being robbed of precious time to build their futures. “Their life is on hold. They are not meeting people. There is a sense they are not making any progress with their lives – that feeling of ‘My life is passing me by’.”
All age groups are overwhelmed by this feeling of -- Life is passing me by syndrome. Overall life satisfaction index has fallen with rise of uncertainty of the corona virus pandemic. The sameness of each day, combined with a loss of routine, is changing our perception of time, and what we do with our time. In an article and research Dr. Sanam Hafeez, psychiatrist said, "Alarming news, social isolation, constant stress and worry about losing a job, or missing out on milestone moments like birthdays, graduations, or weddings make months feel like a monotonously unpleasant challenge."
There has been a significant drop in novel experiences like eating out, taking a vacation. There's a feeling everything is at a standstill, from our goals to our dreams, and the way we visualise our lives. Everyone is feeling trapped in the pandemic blues. Even if the day seems a monotonous drag, months feel like passing by quickly. We are almost in July 2021.
With the pandemic changing the way we live our lives for a longer time period, this routine might be the new reality. Life may not be passing us by, but this is life as it is right now. The new reality. With no timelines in place for 'old normal' to return, we have to brace it and live in the moment.
Here's how to Reset & take control
Create a Routine, change it Often: While life is different from what it was, you need to create a routine. Getting ready, getting out, sending signal to the brain to focus. Go for walks, take brain breaks, get fresh air it is one of the most important things you can do for your mental health. Now, there are fewer signals differentiating a Sunday from a Monday. Shake up your routines as well. Not with lethargy, but action.
Create Memories: Our worlds are shrinking to the bare minimum — staying at home for the vast majority of the day, with trips outside only for walks, we are not taking part in particularly memorable activities. It's important to create some happy memories even in these times.
Do something different daily: If you’re doing the same thing every day — the new normal for many in quarantine — you won't remember any day specifically. Even if time passes slowly in the moment, you will think it is passing by quickly in the long run. Giving you the feeling -- Life is passing by. Create new wellness, self-care regimen. Discover new recipes at home, read more books. Look at this time as a rare gift that you have more time to do new things. Discover. Keep the Wonder in your day. Try some poetry. This is the time to focus on micro details, the way the trees look on your street, shape of leaves, the way the steam floats off your tea.
All about Survival: Remember that surviving is your primary goal right now. Surviving this pandemic is probably your most important priority. It’s natural to think about the future and lament the things you’ve lost. Lean into distractions. Positive distractions are a solid coping strategy.
The world is experiencing mass ageing. As more and more people do less and less, there will be mass ageing. In this pandemic, most people are drifting into a sort of semi-pleasant mindless state, and time slips by. Be aware. How many challenging tasks do you do during the day?
The perception of time either makes us younger or older with the signals it sends our brain. James Broadway, an instructor of psychology at Lincoln Land Community College in Illinois, who has studied the brain’s perception of time, notes a similar phenomenon occurs when we age. The older we get, the fewer novel events we experience, which causes time to feel as if it’s going by faster than it did earlier in our lives.
The brain remembers unusual, novel experiences. Conversations that are stimulating.
Create those in the pandemic. Don't let this situational feeling of Life is Passing you by give you sadness or depression.
Most importantly, don't let the pandemic mess your sense of time. Don't be frozen. Don't let the eventlessness of life consume your excitement. We mark the years in our calendars with celebrations, vacations, travelogues. Don't let 2021's social horizonlessness make you feel empty. Come now, fill your cup of happiness with small joys.