Navigating Hurry Sickness

In today's fast-paced world, the relentless pressure to do more, achieve more, and be more in less time is taking a significant toll on us at the turn of a quarter century.

Do you often feel rushed in your daily life? For example, do you frequently experience the following: A sense of urgency and pressure to constantly be doing something? Difficulty completing tasks without feeling hurried? A tendency to rush through activities such as eating, driving, or conversations? A feeling of being overwhelmed by the number of things you need to do? 

A persistently rushed lifestyle can significantly increase stress and anxiety. This stems from the underlying belief that time is a finite resource that must be maximized, leading us to prioritize efficiency above all else. However, this relentless pursuit of productivity often comes at a steep cost. We frequently overcommit ourselves, taking on more responsibilities than we realistically have time for. This constant pressure to meet deadlines and fulfill obligations can leave us feeling overwhelmed, depleted, and ultimately, unhappy.

One example of a recent study on professional service firms found that the majority of respondents described their personal and work lives as "highly demanding, exhausting, and chaotic," and also accepted as a given "that working and trying to be productive with long hours was necessary for their personal and professional success." These findings are further supported by a recent global workforce survey of over 56,000 employees, where 45% reported a significant increase in their workload over the past 12 months and more than half felt there was too much change at their workplace happening too quickly. 

This relentless urgency can fuel "hurry sickness," a term coined in 1974 by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and R.H. Rosenman to describe the detrimental effects of Type A (i.e., high-achieving) behavior on cardiovascular health. While not a formal diagnosis, hurry sickness encompasses a constellation of behaviors and emotions, including impatience, chronic rushing, and a pervasive sense of time scarcity, that can significantly impact both physical and mental well-being.

While we bear significant responsibility for addressing many of the root causes of hurry sickness, such as hustle culture, incentives for overwork, and constant organizational change, people can also take proactive steps to mitigate its impact even in challenging learning and work-related environments. We will explore the profound consequences of hurry sickness and outline several strategies to reclaim your time and peace of mind.

Anxiety and chronic stress stemming from a frantic, always-on lifestyle and the pervasive belief of time scarcity can lead to a cascade of negative health consequences, including high blood pressure, headaches, and insomnia. High blood pressure and symptoms of anxiety and depression (collectively referred to as psychological distress) are well-established risk factors for cardiovascular disease and even premature mortality. 

A large meta-analysis found that psychological distress itself significantly increased the risk of mortality from all causes, with the risk of death increasing proportionally to the severity of psychological distress. This association remained robust even after controlling for factors such as age, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, and alcohol consumption.

Hurry sickness can leave you physically and mentally drained as you constantly rush from one task to another, neglecting essential self-care practices such as regular, healthy meals, adequate sleep, and taking breaks. This chronic exhaustion can suppress your immune system, making you more susceptible to infectious diseases.

Both in the workplace and the everyday learning environment, hurry sickness can lead to poor decision-making and suboptimal outcomes due to inadequate deliberation and increased risk of careless errors. When under the grip of hurry sickness, individuals experience diminished cognitive function, struggling to absorb, process, and effectively use new information. Creativity, often requiring a degree of incubation, can also be stifled by the pressure to rush. 

Additionally, hurried individuals may become easily irritated by colleagues who fail to match their frenetic pace, leading to skepticism about their competence and fostering interpersonal friction. These strained relationships negatively impact team dynamics, hindering effective collaboration and ultimately diminishing overall team output. When chronic workplace stress, fueled by hurry sickness, leads to exhaustion, negativity, and underperformance, the inevitable consequence can be full-blown burnout.

One of the most insidious aspects of hurry sickness is its deceptive nature. It often masquerades as efficiency, productivity, achievement, or even creating value for the organization. Since these are highly valued qualities, it can be difficult to recognize the underlying harm. You may not even realize something is amiss until the relentless pursuit of speed begins to take its toll.

Now, consider whether you recognize any of the following signs and symptoms of hurry sickness in your own everyday experience:

Signs and Symptoms of Hurry Sickness:

A Constant Sense of Urgency: You frequently experience restlessness, anxiety, or worry, feeling compelled to address every task immediately and complete it as swiftly as possible.

Chronic Rushing: You consistently move, speak, and act with excessive speed, often interrupting others or hurrying them along. Multitasking becomes a compulsive behavior in an attempt to maximize output.

Obsession with Time: You feel a constant pressure to "beat the clock," perceiving time as a scarce and slipping resource. You're always searching for shortcuts and methods to save time.

A Perpetual Feeling of Being Behind: Despite your efforts, you constantly worry about falling behind, even when deadlines are distant and others perceive you as highly productive.

Low Tolerance for Delays: Minor delays trigger significant stress and frustration, leading to irritability and even anger.

Neglect of Self-Care: You prioritize productivity and efficiency above all else, sacrificing sleep, meals, exercise, social connections, and personal hobbies to maximize output.

Intolerance for Downtime: You view slowing down or taking breaks as unproductive and inefficient. Idle time often leads to anxiety, irritability, and restlessness.

Pleasure Derived from Productivity: Completing tasks provides a significant source of reward and satisfaction, potentially driven by the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure.

In today's American landscape, individuals are largely responsible for establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries. Oftentimes these lines are blurred between work and life responsibilities. This challenge is typically amplified in environments that prioritize rapid results and excessive workloads. As psychologists Drs. Meyer and Rosenman observed, certain personality traits can increase vulnerability to hurry sickness. Beyond the Type A personality, perfectionists, people-pleasers, and those who equate self-worth with productivity are particularly susceptible.

Perfectionists often invest an inordinate amount of time in tasks, striving for an unattainable ideal. This meticulousness diverts time from other crucial responsibilities, leaving them perpetually playing catch-up. People-pleasers, eager to accommodate every request, risk becoming overwhelmed and perpetually behind schedule. Finally, individuals who define their self-worth by their output and speed are inherently at risk, constantly driven to achieve more in less time.

Despite the potential for significant harm, the remedies for hurry sickness are readily available. Consider these strategies to begin slowing down and reclaiming your well-being without compromising performance:

Implement Forcing Functions:

A forcing function is any mechanism that compels a desired outcome or behavior. To combat hurry sickness, aim to reduce your perception of time scarcity and urgency.

Effective strategies include:

Scheduling buffer time in your calendar to address unexpected tasks.

Designating specific time frames for deep, focused work without predefined goals.

Regularly reviewing and reprioritizing your to-do list to avoid approaching every task with the same sense of urgency.

Pause Before Saying Yes:

Before accepting any request, carefully examine your calendar to assess feasibility and reflect on the appropriateness of the request.

Consider these questions:

Are you the only person who can fulfill this request?

Will it demand excessive time, energy, or resources?

Does it align with your personal and professional goals?

Since the tendency to rush can make it difficult to pause and reflect, consider enlisting the help of a trusted advisor to provide objective feedback.

Confront the Consequences of "Yes":

Before agreeing to any request, take the time to write down the potential consequences. This deliberate action can help you slow down and avoid impulsive commitments.

Consider writing the request out to encourage deeper reflection.

Ask yourself:

Is the associated stress level tolerable?

Will this request significantly impact my time outside of work or my ability to recharge?

Seeing the potential consequences explicitly can be a powerful deterrent.

Embrace the Benefits of Slowing Down:

To further motivate yourself, create a list of the positive outcomes of slowing down.

These might include increased sleep, stronger relationships, greater relaxation, and a greater sense of peace.

Prioritize Effectively:

Hurry sickness can distort our perception of priorities, making everything seem urgent.

Utilize prioritization methods like the 4D method:

Do: Essential and high-priority tasks.

Defer/Delay: Tasks that can be addressed later.

Delegate: Tasks that can be assigned to others.

Delete: Tasks that are ultimately unnecessary.

Avoid adding new tasks to your list until you've completed at least one existing task.

Prioritize Grace Over Accomplishment:

Recognize that constant striving for achievement can lead to self-induced stress and burnout.

Practice self-compassion by acknowledging your accomplishments and avoiding self-criticism.

Consider the "friend test": Would you say these things to a friend? If not, let go of the negative self-talk.

Practice Mindfulness:

Mindfulness involves slowing down and fully engaging with the present moment without judgment. This approach directly counteracts the core principles of hurry sickness. Even brief periods of mindfulness practice, such as deep breathing, body scans, mindful tea preparation, or simply listening to calming music, can significantly reduce stress and provide a much-needed mental break. Consistent mindfulness practice can help diminish the fixation on speed and cultivate a more balanced and focused life.

Seek Support:

If personal efforts to manage hurry sickness prove challenging, consider seeking professional assistance. An peer partner, executive coach, community resource group, or support group can provide valuable guidance and support. Accountability partners can also help you maintain healthy habits that promote a slower pace of life. 

In today's hyper-connected and fast-paced world, hurry sickness poses a significant threat to productivity, relationships, and overall well-being. It subtly undermines our effectiveness and creates a constant state of stress. By prioritizing slowing down and cultivating a more mindful approach to work and life, individuals can improve their overall well-being and enhance their performance. Remember, true success lies not in speed, but in the effective use of available time.