Confined to our homes and stripped of our daily routines, many of us have found that time has become a strange and amorphous thing no longer defined by a calendar. With this almost overnight disruption of our daily lives everything has been moving slower, if at all. Of all the historical and scientific changes that coronavirus has brought into the world, society’s redefining of personal and public space is a fascinating one.

With our physical parameters having shrunk, every bit of space feels instilled with a new found significance. Not having to necessarily be on time to do things has led to the total demise of a structured day for a majority of people. For the most part, working from home for me has meant working from my bed or sofa, typing away as the minutes turn into hours and the sun makes my room too warm to comfortably sit in anymore. A day of ‘intense’ work might entail me sitting on my desk, rather than my sofa or bed. Being confined indoors has created a heightened awareness of my physical space and all that I can do to cater to my needs. I find myself livening up my desk-cum-workspace with small decorative pieces, rearranging photographs on my room wall and books on my shelf, all actions that wouldn’t have garnered a second thought in the pre-Covid-19 world.

Moreover, with our physical worlds having shrunk so small, we’ve started paying more attention to who we share our immediate space with. This includes who lives in our building and on our street, rather than just who occupies our office or go-to eateries. I feel as though I’ve taken more walks around my small colony these two months than I have in all the years I’ve lived here. My friends are getting to know their neighbours for the first time.

Our decreased living space forces us to pay attention to the people in front of us. Coronavirus has compelled us to consider space and physicality in a way we haven’t before.

Our decreased living space forces us to pay attention to the people in front of us. Coronavirus has compelled us to consider space and physicality in a way we haven’t before.

Our city has changed in an unprecedented way. The M2 motorway is deserted, our metropolitan centres are quiet and images of wild animals occupying parks in our capital are all a constant reminder of the extent to which we’ve downsized almost instantaneously.

As post-lockdown world edges closer, we’ll need to develop new ways to occupy our shared spaces. Uncertainty and fear will be our unfortunate partners as we attempt to navigate this confusing new terrain. When do we know whether it’s safe enough to use public transport, push an elevator button or share a car? The confusing and ongoing nature of the virus demands us to improvise and strategise while we wait for a vaccine and for our communal anxiety to ebb.

Many of us are in uncontrollable situations. We’re stuck at home, unable to spend time with our family and friends while simultaneously attempting to balance demands of work, school and family amid a pandemic. This time is not easy for anyone but it has given us a unique perspective on the world and how we experience it. When things go back to normal, whatever that may look like, it is important that we hold onto this new way of thinking and increased awareness of the physical space we take up.