There is one thing that we never seem to have enough of: time. I think all of us can relate to the feeling of shock that the year is nearly half over, the sense of chasing the daylight as the seasons change and those to-do lists that just never get done! Psychologists refer to this strange time phenomenon as chronic time pressure, which is defined as; “the combination of time pressure and the feeling of being rushed.”
Time pressure is the result of living in modern society where there are high demands on time. Due to the impact of technology, costs of living and social pressures, the average person is fitting a lot into 24 hours. Like most millennials, my days are spent balancing jobs, creative pursuits and studying, not to mention domestic and family responsibilities. Even to find the time to write this blog post, I have had to wait until the Easter long weekend!
Despite the fact that some of us experienced a slower pace during Covid, it now seems that life has picked up its usual pace. But will we remain victims to chasing the clock, or is it possible to resist the trap of chronic time pressure?
How To Stop Feeling Rushed
The feeling of being rushed or ‘harried’ is very unpleasant. It is the experience of being both ‘hurried’ and ‘harassed’ as people feel the pressure to do things within a limited time otherwise they will let someone else down (see here). However, this feeling is also subjective, in that different people and personality types will feel ‘harried’ at different levels in response to the same time demands or tasks. In particular, people high in neuroticism, Type A personality and Unrelenting Standards will feel more rushed and anxious when completing tasks.
The feeling of being rushed is more within our control than we think. There are strategies that can lead us to feel less rushed as we go about our busy lives, thus reducing that terrible sense that we are chasing time. Here are some of those strategies to combat Chronic Time Pressure.
1. Start Doing Things Slowly
While multitasking is generally celebrated as a skill and a way to increase efficiency, when we are doing many things at the same time, we might also feel more rushed and anxious. An antidote to this would be to try doing things slowly, when possible. For example, when I prepare a meal I try to be mindful in the whole experience. I enjoy the process of chopping the vegetables, savouring the smells of cooking, setting the table properly and serving out the food using my favourite plates and cutlery. I also try to pay attention to the little details, whether that’s a sprinkle of parmesan or a squeeze of lemon as the final touches. While this approach is less efficient than simply heating in the microwave and eating out the container, it also makes me slow down and enjoy the process, leading me to feel less rushed.
2. Stop Filling Up Your Life
Another symptom exacerbating chronic time pressure is over-booking. While we may be tempted to schedule as much as possible into our weeks (and weekends), this can also increase that unpleasant feeling of being rushed. The price of over-booking is often less sleep and reduced energy levels, which can increase our irritability and fatigue levels.
I often reflect on this need to ‘always be doing something’ and how having quiet time or thoughtful reflection isn’t valued like it should be. While I’m still grappling with FOMO and love that dopamine hit when I have ticked off my to-do list, I’m also enjoying feeling less rushed when I have a stretch of time with nothing booked.
3. Schedule Breaks Intentionally
If you are in a high pressure job, a caring role or juggling multiple gigs, no doubt you have experienced chronic time pressure, and the feeling of being rushed. Which is why the most effective way to break the cycle is by scheduling breaks into your life. A friend of mine once explained to me that holidays don’t have to mean travel, but they should mean rest.
Rest can mean different things for different people. For me, it means mental health days spent in the sun, driving to the beach, getting a massage or facial and writing this blog!
Rather than waiting for a good time to rest or leaving it till Christmas to take a proper holiday, I have learnt that scheduling small breaks throughout the year help make feel less rushed and more relaxed. And as society moves towards 4-day work weeks and less stigma around mental health and wellness days, hopefully we all begin to normalise having frequent rest breaks.
While many of us may feel like victims to chronic time pressure, there are ways we can take control of feeling rushed and time pressured, namely by:
1. Doing things slowly and mindfully
2. Resisting the urge to over-book and over-commit, and
3. Scheduling frequent rest breaks
I hope that these tips help you better manage the demands on time in our fast-paced world, leading you to feel less rushed and more peaceful as you go about your busy life!
