Discover how being constantly on the go – in New York or where you live – can lead to stress and tension, and learn practical strategies to slow down and find balance.
Having enough energy to sustain your activities throughout a day in New York City is great. Being a high-energy person means you can sustain your hobbies and chores without missing out on anything — including social activities.
However, there are also a few life challenges that come with always being on the go. Sometimes, leading a hurried lifestyle can result in stress — and the need to complete all tasks as quickly as possible can be detrimental in the long run. If you’re always rushing to the next thing, the constant urgency is a source of ever-present tension.
So, let’s explore how being busy and in a hurry can cause undue stress — and what you can do about it.
Recognizing You’re High-Strung
Leading a busy lifestyle is often a fundamental aspect of being a successful, productive, and fulfilled adult. But in the rush of a constantly packed schedule, and in a fast paced city like New york, it’s easy to overlook the need to make time for rest. Allowing yourself space to recharge supports mental well-being and boosts resilience, helping you navigate life’s demands more clearly and calmly.
On the other hand, failing to “stop and smell the roses” can result in tons of stress throughout each day. We’re so used to multitasking and focusing on multiple things at once in every aspect of our lives that we’ve stopped thinking about the downsides of this as a general approach to life.
You can optimize every second of every day for efficiency. Sure, if you’re a young professional with children and many other chores, you must multitask by default. But that doesn’t mean you must do this with everything in your life.
To get the most out of life, you need to recognize that you’re high-strung and stressed by your unending juggling act — and see what you can do about it.
So, what are some of the telltale signs of someone who’s chronically obsessed with efficiency?
- Speeding even when you’re not in a hurry — both in traffic and conversations, meals, and other activities.
- Rushing chores and other tasks to the point of doing them badly and having to redo them
- Being irate when faced with the slightest delay
- Always thinking about ways to do things quicker and save time
Consequences of Always Being On the Go
As a consequence of always being on the go, you experience more stress and anxiety than the average person. In truth, research by the American Psychological Association shows that chronic stress not only exacerbates anxiety but also has long-term effects on emotional and physical health, reinforcing the need for mindful practices like relaxation and prioritizing rest.
When you’re obsessed with handling as many responsibilities as possible each day, properly managing your mental health becomes increasingly challenging. You’re always worrying about getting enough things done, and it constantly feels like you’re pressed to keep going.
As a result, you’re more easily irritable when your perfect schedule inevitably faces delays. (Not something unusual in the city, right? Trains are always delayed, traffic is insane, and even walking through areas with a higher concentration of people can be time-consuming.) That makes it more difficult to communicate properly and maintain relationships. Plus, all this rushing from task to task makes concentrating more difficult.
That’s why folks suffering from “hurry sickness” often have anger management issues. They’re quick to burst out when they perceive others as a source of delays.
Besides emotional consequences, there are physical side effects of always being on the go. That is especially true if your anxiety becomes more severe.
Inevitably, you spend less time on relaxation and self-care than the average person. Depending on how well-balanced you are, you may also find yourself skipping out on fitness activities, balanced meals, and regular sleep.
Dealing With Hurry Sickness — Learning To Slow Down
There’s only one way to deal with always being on the go and stressed out. You guessed it — you need a slower-paced lifestyle.
Yes, that’s a huge adjustment, we know. But it’s the only way you’ll be able to function daily without constantly feeling anxious about your schedule. Of course, this doesn’t mean slowing your life to a complete halt and eliminating most of your activities. It simply means recognizing that you need to spend less time obsessing over productivity if you’re going to stay productive in the long run.
One of the easiest ways to do this is to take long walks. As banal as this seems, long, slow walks are a great way to challenge your efficiency-obsessed worldview. Plus, walking is an excellent aerobic exercise for stress reduction. And we do have amazing spots for this – from Central Park, to Chelsea Piers by the Hudson River, or Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, or even head up to explore The Cloisters if you have more time.
For starters, you don’t have to take hours-long walks. In the beginning, try to set aside 30 minutes for a brisk walk each day. It’s an appropriate amount of time for even the busiest individuals — and it’ll immediately make a difference.
As you walk and quietly take stock of your life, you’ll also become more mindful. Over time, you can also embrace other forms of mindfulness — like The Twin Heart meditation (or any other you enjoy) and breathing exercises. Do everything you can to focus on the current moment instead of always obsessing over what you must do next.
Learn to Prioritize
While you learn to slow things down and live life more comfortably, you must learn how to prioritize what matters. In this process, you’ll realize that some obligations and activities are more important than others.
For example, getting enough rest should always remain a priority. Your body needs sufficient sleep and relaxation to work properly, no matter what else. The same goes for exercise and proper nutrition.
You also need to determine which relationships are the most important to you and ensure you have enough time and energy to maintain them. Life without companionship and socialization is more stressful and difficult in the long run.
Wrapping Up
When you’re used to always being on the go and leading a busy lifestyle, hitting the proverbial pause button and taking stock of your habits is difficult. Disrupting this vicious cycle of tiredness and anxiety is difficult—but worth it.
Keeping your healthy habits while eliminating those that simply cause you stress will be quite beneficial in the long run.
