Why So Hurry? The Mindful Way Through Hurry Sickness

6 min read

“The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.”

The time I saw this quote decor at my aunt’s house, my then early 20-something self was like, “Cool.” Such a profound old saying reminds me of another famous quote from The Hare and the Tortoise, “Slow and steady wins the race.” These are great concepts we believe in. But, as we speeding through our lives, rarely practice. And fast fact: the first quote is not from Alice in Wonderland.

You’re going to rush through this article, aren’t you?

No worries, we tend to do this all the time. As someone who used to have a hobby of cramming 3 days’ worth of tasks into an 8-hour window–unsuccessfully. I am no stranger to the feeling of never having enough time. It seems like it’s a norm nowadays that we must do more in less time and eventually end up with chronic hurry sickness.

What is hurry sickness?

Hurry sickness is a term coined by cardiologists Friedman and Rosenman in 1985 describing common behaviors of their heart disease patients, a chronic rush. Unfortunately, stress is a silent killer which is not only a contributing factor to heart issues but also other leading causes of death such as cancer. And being in a hurry all the time is one sure sign of stress.

What are the signs and symptoms of hurry sickness?

Here are some signs that show someone might be experiencing hurry sickness.

• Rushing through schedule
• Juggling different things all at once
• Always thinking about the next tasks
• Constant sense of urgency
• Easily irritated by a delay
• Sense of guilt when doing nothing
• Perpetually feel behind the schedule

Doesn’t it sound like an anxious person? No wonder they could also have stress-related physical symptoms such as headaches, trouble sleeping, muscle tension, and a weakened immune system, and not to mention creating a tense and conflicting atmosphere in their relationships.

Quick case study

A patient came to me suffering from severe panic attacks. She had been experiencing an increased workload for a few months prior. She was getting only 4-5 hours of sleep per night. Just the mere thought of not finishing the work on time could send her into a panic. And undoubtedly looking overworked and exhausted, she asked me, “How can I sleep less, be more productive, and have more energy without having these panic attacks?”

Honestly, I didn’t expect that at all. Not knowing the answer, I tried repeating the question back to her very slowly, and fortunately, she went, “..Oh, that sounds absurd, doesn’t it?” She was so focused on getting her work done, blinding her to the initial cause of her panic attack. Hence, we worked on how she could manage her stress and workload better. Even though the work was still there. The boss was still there. But, she had started learning to cope with her hurry sickness more realistically.

How to cope with the hurry sickness?

“In one simple word, relax. Or three words, relax, relax, relax.”

Have you ever thought of relaxation as a form of productivity? Here’s a gentle reminder that being busy and in a hurry doesn’t mean being productive. The key point here is not how much you do, but how hurry you feel. You could be highly productive without feeling anxious and restless. On the other hand, you could be lazy doing nothing but still feel hurried, not relaxed.

Acknowledge positive intentions behind the fear

The basis of anxiety is fear or feeling unsafe. You’re triggered by a threat, real or imagined, and go into fight-or-flight mode, which is the opposite of rest and digest mode–when you feel safe and at ease.

It could be the fear of missing out, fear of lacking accomplishment, or fear of failure. However negative they may sound, let’s take a closer look at the needs underlying these fears: the need for belonging and connection, the need for accomplishment and success, or the need to create values.

Shifting the focus from the fears to the needs helps us reconnect with the positive side of the emotions. These good intentions drive us to take action and contribute meaningfully to ourselves and others.

Isn’t it more relaxing to think, “I'm creating values” rather than “I fear not adding any values”?

Hurrying is skipping the present

Craving to reach the end, we’re redlining our engines trying to skip to the finish line. But, sprinting through the life marathon will only burn us out prematurely. What’s so bad about the present moment, the only thing you could ever experience in this life, that you want to skip it? And what’s so good about the uncertain future that hasn’t yet arrived that you want to live it now? In fact, hurrying doesn’t make the time move faster either.

Experience every moment fully

Hasting into the future could be a sign of aversion to the present. We might want something else rather than what is. But, where else could we run to apart from this moment? So, what would it be like if we embrace and accept this moment fully? The best we can do is to be mindful of whatever happens and relax.

The easiest place to be mindful of what’s going on is in our body or bodily sensations. The body is a wonder and constantly gives us feedback about what we think and feel. They could manifest as the sensations of tightness, tension, pain, heaviness, lightness, warmth, pressure, etc.

Personally, every time I’m in a hurry, my core muscles tense up. I can feel the tightness around my spine and my breath becomes shallow. That’s how my body reacts to the subconscious sense of anxiety. The more mindful I am, the quicker I’m aware of the sensations, the sooner I can relax.

Accept your pace

People move at a different pace. Your ‘moderate pace’ could be a ‘fast pace’ or a ‘slow pace’ for another person. So, don’t get too hung up comparing yourself with others. Find the right pace that works for you and embrace it.

For instance, when you do cardio, if the pace is too slow, you feel like you’re not doing anything. If the pace is too fast, you can’t keep up for long. But, the moderate pace is when you feel like you’re working reasonably hard. You’re sweating and your heart rate increases significantly. Yet, you’re not losing your breath. You can still finish a sentence without grasping for air. You can go on and on.

This moderate pace helps you get into the zone or the flow state. It’s when there is a balance between your skill, or effort, and the challenge.

It’s the sweet spot that brings you greater enjoyment, energy, and immersive experience with the present moment.

I hope you find the perfect tempo that goes beautifully with the rhythm of your life. It’s not easy, and we must consistently remind ourselves to relax and return to the right pace. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow other people go. What does matter is how far you can go.

Be kind, be happy.