Rushing Through Everything?
Rushing gives away your power to the To-Do List taskmaster. Rushing is like living life as if some higher power other than you controls how you live your life. You believe that the more you rush, the more you get done and at some point, the need to rush will stop because you will get it all done, perfectly. It’s a mind game really, because the only one creating a sense of urgency and adding the tasks to the To-Do List, is you.
Let that sink in for a moment. Much of our anxiety and sadness stems from the momentary denial that we are in control of our lives. Obviously, to an extent, right? We cannot control external events or other people, but we can manage how we live our lives.
Why do we rush anyway? There is this inner drive to do more! Accomplish many things- and they better be important! We need to be productive and show the world what we’ve got, or else, well, who are we anyway?
Productivity, task lists, routines, goals, and grit are important characteristics of living a successful life. But, they are not the only things that define it. The problem with rushing is that we believe we are being productive. Well, we are being productive. We produce stress, anxiety, careless mistakes, self-doubt, rage, headaches, cardiovascular issues, and plenty of relationship problems with the people we are constantly rushing. I am not sure if that’s what you wanted to get out of when you bought into this plan.
So, how do you stop?
Inevitably, you need to take a look at the quality of your life and decide, but really decide, is this how you want to live it? It’s not about the number of things that need to get done that cause you to rush. It’s that you think you need to conquer them all and right away that causes you to rush. It’s how you think about it not what is going on in your life. This is an ongoing mental exercise. Each time we reach a new milestone or stage in life, we may be primed to fall back on old habits. But, if you’re mindful and have people in your life who can remind you that rushing is not the answer, you will fare off better. Here is a list of reflective questions you can ask yourself.
- Envision what do you want your life to look like if you didn’t rush
- What things would you have to forgo or delegate? (Eisenhower box)
- What time-consuming activities will you have to say no to?
- What can you stop multitasking?
- How will you feel about yourself when you do less?
- How can you get more rest/sleep?
- How can you set realistic expectations and goals for yourself that don’t lead to burnout?
If you find that you are always rushing and your relationships are suffering, reach out for help. We can create more peace and effective productivity in your life.