Waiting anxiety comes from attention without control. When people are waiting (for results, replies, delays, queues), their mind keeps monitoring time and imagining outcomes. This activates the brain’s threat and prediction systems: What if it goes wrong? How long is this taking? Time feels slower because attention is stuck on uncertainty.

What Scientists Observed During Quarantine

Psychologist Kate Sweeny from the University of California, Riverside, studied how people coped during China’s strict COVID-19 lockdowns. Working with Chinese researchers, her team analyzed survey data from over 5,000 participants aged 15 to 71, collected during the peak of quarantine. Participants reported on their emotional well-being, levels of loneliness and depression, health behaviors, and how often they engaged in flow activities.

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The results were striking. Some people weren’t struggling at all. Their secret wasn’t optimism or denial. It was flow.

What Is Flow (According to Research)?

Flow is a mental state of complete immersion in an activity. When people are in flow, it becomes hard to think about anything else. Flow happens when a person is deeply absorbed in an activity that is:

Challenging but manageable
Goal-oriented
Feedback-rich
Meaningful or enjoyable

Activities that commonly produce flow include:

Playing challenging video games,
Learning a language on apps like Duolingo
Baking, woodworking, jogging, or
Practicing a skill that stretches ability.

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Importantly, not all enjoyable activities create flow. Watching TV or casually scrolling may feel pleasant, but they do not fully absorb attention or demand active engagement. In flow, attention is fully occupied. The brain reallocates resources away from self-monitoring and time-tracking and toward the task itself. As a result:

Why flow reduces waiting anxiety

Time perception collapses
In flow, the brain’s internal clock quiets down. Minutes pass without being noticed. This directly counteracts the “time dragging” feeling that fuels waiting anxiety.
Reduced self-focus
Anxiety thrives on self-awareness (How am I feeling? Am I nervous?). Flow reduces activity in brain networks linked to rumination and self-judgment, making the wait feel less personal and less threatening.
Restored sense of control
Waiting feels stressful because it’s passive. Flow replaces passivity with agency. Even if the external situation hasn’t changed, the person feels mentally active rather than trapped.
Dopamine replaces dread
Engaging tasks release dopamine, associated with motivation and reward. This chemical shift competes with stress responses tied to uncertainty and anticipation.

The Evidence: Flow vs. Quarantine Stress

Sweeny’s research found that people under quarantine were generally less happy, and the longer the quarantine lasted, the worse overall well-being became. But there was a powerful exception. Those who regularly experienced flow reported more positive emotions, fewer depressive symptoms, less loneliness, and healthier daily behaviors.

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As quarantine length increased, flow didn’t just help—it mattered more. In fact, people in long quarantines who experienced high levels of flow were no worse off emotionally than people who were not quarantined at all.

Why This Matters Beyond Quarantine

Sweeny’s conclusion was not limited to COVID-19. She argues that flow may be the best remedy for any period of uncertain waiting, from exam results to life transitions. Her advice is simple: “The time will pass more quickly if you find your flow.”