This week I got sick so I had to cancel all plans – including creating my video for this week.
I’m notoriously bad at resting when I’m ill. “I want to do things!” “Resting is wasting time!” “You’re failing at your commitment to make a video every week!” screams my inner voice.
On reflection, I realised this stems from time anxiety. That nagging pressure to do more, be more, and ‘catch up’.
I decided to reflect on where time anxiety comes from and what we can do about it.
1. Fear of Wasting Time
Our society values productivity and making the most of every moment so if i’m not producing something, or progressing my life in some way, then I feel guilty and struggle to relax.
How to Manage It
Reframe rest as productive
This is something my partner is always reminding me to do. He’s much better at giving himself permission to rest than I am, but I am getting better at it!
If I worked for someone else I’d have called in sick to work, so I gave myself an entire day off on Tuesday and played Baldur’s Gate 3 all day!
Downtime isn’t wasted time – it’s essential for creativity, problem-solving, and mental well-being.
Schedule intentional leisure time
This is something I am much better at! My ukulele club nights are scheduled in the calendar along with boardgames, online gaming night and even phoning my mum!
If you struggle to relax, plan time for hobbies or socializing just like you would a work task.
2. Comparing Timelines
Starting this new business means I’m emerged in competitor analysis some of the time – I look at other creators in my niche, think about what problems I can help people with, and wish I had started years ago!
Seeing all these people ahead of me makes me feel like I’m behind.
How to Manage It
Measure progress by your own values
It’s easy to feel like I should be doing what other people are doing because they are ahead of me so they have figured the path. I could just follow in their footsteps.
But instead of being blinded by their success, I imagine myself in their shoes, really take time to imagine I had their business and realise it doesn’t actually align with what I want.
Instead, I ask myself:
Am I heading in the right direction for where I want to go?
Remember that timelines are arbitrary
Ever catch yourself googling things like, “How much money should I have in my pension by X years old?” or “How long on average does it take to get to 1,000 subscribers?” or “What age should I get married/have a baby/buy a house etc ?”
I know this is completely pointless but I do it anyway! It’s helpful to remember that people find success, love, and fulfillment at different ages. There is no universal “right time” for anything.
3. Existential Anxiety
I’m currently listening to 4,000 Weeks on Audible by Oliver Burkeman (Amazon link). It explores our relationship with time and how we might spend the 4,000 average number of weeks we have to live.
So at the moment, I’m very aware of how fast a year goes by and how precious a week is.
The reality is, we have a limited amount of time to do everything we want. It’s no wonder we feel the need to be productive all the time!
How to Manage It
Practise acceptance
No one can do everything in one lifetime. Letting go of that expectation can be freeing.
On a day-by-day or week-by-week basis, the same applies. So it can help to make peace with that. This week I had to make peace with not being able to make my weekly video which is one of my primary goals for this year.
Do what you can with what you have
Time anxiety often comes from a scarcity mindset – the fear that there’s “never enough” time. But instead of focusing on what you lack, focus on what you have.
Even small pockets of time add up over weeks and months.
I didn’t have enough time to script, film and edit a video, but I did have enough time to write this newsletter and do a little work on my website this week. Smaller steps, but still steps in the right direction.
Final Thoughts
Time anxiety is often about mindset.
When you shift from fearing lost time to valuing the time you have, and using it on things that you truly value, you can approach life with more clarity and ease.