Do you want to reduce stress and anxiety in your life? Are you constantly rushing around trying to get it all done?
If so, for the sake of your health and happiness you need to know about a condition called “time urgency/impatience.”
Time urgency/impatience (TUI) is characterized by a chronic sense of pressure, and it's incredibly common in our fast-paced, stress-filled American culture. TUI is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease, and it's more common among women and Caucasians.
Maybe you, like me, have felt this sense of time pressure for many years. I hate to be late, and I often feel like I have too much to do in the time available.
When I was a kid, my father hated to wake me up if I had overslept. He knew he had to tap me on the shoulder and stand back, because when I realized what had happened I would leap out of bed in a frantic effort to get ready for school on time!
Last year I stumbled upon something that helped very much in reducing time pressure for me. By some strange "coincidence" the batteries in all my watches went dead at the same time.
My husband and I both had the same interpretation of this event - perhaps I'm not supposed to wear a watch!
In the past, it was inconceivable to even consider not wearing a watch – how could I function in the world without one? I looked at my wrist constantly. Sometimes I would check my watch more than once in the span of just a few seconds. Apparently I was in such a hurry that it didn’t even sink in when I looked at my watch the first time!
But the improbability of having my watch batteries all die at the same time prompted me to attempt to give up my wristwatch dependence.
So I quit. To my surprise, I was amazed how easy it was to make the transition and how much more relaxed I felt afterwards.
I probably looked at my bare wrist only two or three times total before the habit was mysteriously broken. And with cell phones and computers everywhere, there's always a clock nearby when I really need it.
Other suggestions for easing your TUI symptoms include:
- Fight the urge to do everything in a rush
- Practice relaxation techniques
- Set a realistic schedule that reflects what’s really important to you in life
- Keep a positive attitude.
Do you have TUI? If so, take steps now to change the attitudes and behaviors that are fueling the time pressure you feel. Your health and happiness depend on it!
© Karen Wheeler Hall. All Rights Reserved.
Author's Bio
Karen Wheeler Hall is the author of The Mental Diet Pyramid(SM) – A Simplified System to Beat Stress and Live in Joy, Illumination – Inspiring Stories about Finding the Silver Lining, and co-author of 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, vol. 3, all available from http://www.FindMoreJoy.com/. Find More Joy! is dedicated to helping you discover the joy within you by developing the incredible power of the mind. Download your copy of Karen's FREE eBook Positively Incredible! by visiting http://www.FindMoreJoy.com/.
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