You may not have heard of hurry sickness before, but there's a good chance you've experienced it. According to Healthline, hurry sickness, while not an actual medical condition, refers to "a pressing need to hurry through tasks and make the most of every moment."
Also known as "time urgency," hurry sickness can easily become exhausting. Constantly rushing around creates anxiety, negatively affects a person's physical health, damages their relationships, and leaves them feeling unfulfilled. If you notice these four signs, it's well past time you slow down -- your body is begging for a break.
When battling hurry sickness, you feel that must get everything done as quickly as humanly possible with no breaks and no time to rest. From the moment you wake up until you pass out on your bed at night, you constantly move from one task to another.
"You walk, talk, carry out tasks, and even drive at a rapid pace. You tend to interrupt others or hurry them along and constantly multitask in an attempt to finish more things more quickly," Kandi Wiens, author of "Burnout Immunity," explained in the Harvard Business Review. "You consider slowing down or taking a break a waste of time."
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Even simple things, like running errands, are cause for overwhelming anxiety when suffering from hurry sickness. These small tasks feel like huge commitments that are taking time away from other urgent things that must get done. This is a dangerous headspace to live in.
"The anxiety and chronic stress that come from a frantic, always-on lifestyle and the belief that you're chronically short on time can result in high blood pressure, headaches, and insomnia," Wiens warned.
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Everyone is impatient now and then, but if you can't stand to wait at all, something is amiss. Wiens explained that when experiencing hurry sickness, "even minor delays can trigger stress and frustration, and you can lose your temper when something (or someone) comes between you and completing a task."
You feel as though you are always behind schedule, so any delay -- whether a website is slow to load, traffic is backed up, or the line at the store is longer than usual -- is detrimental and anger-inducing.
When completing a task on your to-do list, your mind is already on the next one, and the idea of relaxing or taking a break is a complete no-go. If you are unable to live in the present moment, perpetually focused on everything else you must do, that's a sign of hurry sickness and a warning to slow down.
"Getting things done is always on your mind and takes precedence over everything else," Wiens described. "You sacrifice sleep, meals, exercise, time with loved ones, time away from work, or hobbies in favor of accomplishing things -- and the quicker, the better."
Thankfully, if these signs sound all too familiar, there are steps you can take to overcome hurry sickness. Practice mindfulness, give yourself grace, and think deeply before making any more commitments. Consider the consequences of pushing yourself too hard and the benefits of slowing down. Prioritize rest and well-being -- your body and mind will thank you.
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Sahlah Syeda is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.