{"id":255447,"date":"2025-07-11T06:08:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T06:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/255447\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T06:08:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T06:08:14","slug":"beat-time-anxiety-with-these-tips-step-one-turn-off-one-way-people-can-reach-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/255447\/","title":{"rendered":"Beat time anxiety with these tips. Step one, turn off one way people can reach you"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interested in more careers-related content? Check out our new weekly Work Life newsletter<\/a>. Sent every Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n

We live in an era of time anxiety. There never seems to be enough time in the day. More existentially, people who can see beyond the day or week sometimes worry that time is running out in their lives.<\/p>\n

When entrepreneur Chris Guillebeau wrote about the issue on his blog, angst-ridden comments poured in, leading him to believe this is a serious, understated problem. The concern, he notes, is cross-generational, hitting people of all ages. And it\u2019s more than fear of missing out, which is focused on the present while time anxiety raises concerns about the past and future as well as the present. \u201cYou feel regretful about the past, uncertain or hesitant about the present and apprehensive about the future,\u201d he writes in his book Time Anxiety. <\/p>\n

While we seek relief in productivity hacks, he suggests those only mask the problem. The more work we accomplish, the more seems to remain. Another barrage of emails will flood your uncluttered inbox; another set of tasks rise up to replace those completed. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s obviously no simple solution but he suggests you need to start by breaking the stress cycle, reducing the immediate pressure you feel. That requires time decluttering: Look at your calendar for the next few weeks and challenge yourself to remove a few items. <\/p>\n

Next, he urges you to reduce your many inboxes, which have been expanding over the years. Beyond email, there\u2019s voicemail and messaging apps, social media profiles people can respond to and work networks. <\/p>\n

\u201cBeing accessible all the time is costly! You can get some of your attention back by stepping away from some of these tools or at least minimizing your use of them,\u201d he advises. Think through all the different ways people can reach you and try to turn off at least one.<\/p>\n

Notice how it feels to give yourself more time. Don\u2019t automatically siphon that off to more tasks. Use some of it for activities that feel joyful, refreshing and stimulating. Start to see yourself not as someone oppressed by too many tasks to accomplish in too little time but as someone who is figuring things out.<\/p>\n

Reframe the time rules that govern your life. These have been assembled over the years by your own inclinations and the demands of others. He stresses time rules should exist to serve you, rather than you serve the time rules.<\/p>\n

You have a rule about punctuality but the definition of being on time, he notes, actually varies widely. Perhaps you believe you must return all phone calls within an hour or reply to every email that same day. Maybe you can\u2019t go to bed unless you have completed your to-do list.<\/p>\n

Identify all those rules and ask whether each serves your well-being and aligns with your values. Consider whether the rule might be overly rigid and inflexible, causing you stress. Ask what would happen if you broke or modified the rule \u2013 would your world collapse or would things actually be better?<\/p>\n

Next, create a new set of rules that reflect your desired relationship with time. Keep them flexible, allowing for grace and self compassion. He offers these suggestions:<\/p>\n