“The normal flow of time stopped with the normal flow of life”: A mixed methods investigation of multifaceted subjective experiences of time during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
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Date
2026-07-22
Authors
Young, Anna Navin
Di Blasi, Zelda
van Zyl, Llewellyn
Foley, Sarah
Hunt, Eithne
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAGE Publications Ltd
Published Version
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions to daily life which impacted how people used and experienced time. This study employed a mixed-method, person-centered approach to investigate people's subjective experiences of time during the first year of the pandemic. Specifically, it aimed to investigate experiences of time as multifaceted, measuring the pandemic's impact on people's perceptions of routine changes, passage of time, and quantity of time. Further, the study explored participants’ descriptions of their temporal experiences. Data were collected from an online survey of 272 participants (Mage = 27.74, SD = 11.95) in Spring 2021. A latent class analysis identified two distinct classes: Varied Time Changes and Minimal Perceived Changes. Reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) of open-ended survey responses revealed that those in the Varied Time Changes group described feelings of disorientation, lack of temporal structure, and an inability to use time meaningfully, while Minimal Perceived Changes participants focused on themes of accepting change as normal, maintaining routines, and savoring the present moment. Notably, the Minimal Perceived Changes group was significantly older (M = 37.86, SD = 14.28) than Varied Time Changes (M = 26.89, SD = 11.36). This study contributes to understanding the complexity of temporal experiences under prolonged uncertainty, highlighting the importance of personal context in shaping one's response to broad social disruptions.
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Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic , Latent class analysis , Mixed methods , Reflexive thematic analysis , Subjective time , [AppliedPsychology] , [ClinicalTherapies]
Citation
Young, A N, Di Blasi, Z, van Zyl, L, Foley, S & Hunt, E 2026, '“The normal flow of time stopped with the normal flow of life”: A mixed methods investigation of multifaceted subjective experiences of time during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic', Time and Society, pp. 1-33. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961463X261468085