What is hurry sickness
and how to outsmart it

Teaching your brain to decelerate in a world of constant acceleration

By Angela Civitella

Edited, April 19, 2026

“You’re too busy to read this,” you tell yourself, smartphone buzzing on the desk and your AI assistant politely reminding you that you’re already two minutes late for your next video call. Today, many people move through the day with a persistent sense that time is scarce. Online calendars are full, notifications are continuous, and work often overlaps with personal life. Video meetings can run back‑to‑back, while messages and emails arrive steadily in the background. AI tools now draft replies, summarize documents and schedule appointments, yet the overall pace of activity often feels faster rather than slower.

A couple of cardiologists coined the term “hurry sickness” after noticing that many of their patients suffered from a “harrying sense of time urgency.’

For many, this pattern does not end when the workday is over. Evenings may involve answering a few more messages, finishing a presentation, or reviewing documents while also preparing dinner or supporting family members. Weekends can be filled with errands, social commitments, and digital catch‑up. Over time, this ongoing rush can feel normal, even though it carries a cost. This state is commonly referred to as “hurry sickness.” In this article, we’ll examine what hurry sickness is and how to circumvent it

If this hyperconnected, post‑pandemic, AI-accelerated treadmill feels familiar, you may be living with an updated version of an old problem: hurry sickness. Originally used by cardiologists to describe patients who lived in a perpetual state of time pressure, it referred to a “continuous struggle and unremitting attempt to accomplish more and more in less and less time.” In 2026, the stage is different, but the script is remarkably similar—only faster, more digital, and more invasive.

What is hurry sickness?

A couple of cardiologists coined the term hurry sickness after noticing that many of their patients suffered from a “harrying sense of time urgency.” They defined it as a continuous struggle and unremitting attempt to accomplish or achieve more and more things, or to participate in more and more events, in less and less time. Hurry-sick people are conscientious and work hard, but they struggle to acknowledge the limits of what they can take on. Consequently, they habitually commit to more than they have time for.

People with hurry sickness think, talk, and act fast. You’ll never find a hurry-sick person with an empty diary. They multitask and rush against the clock, feeling pressured to get things done and getting flustered by any sign of a problem. They’re everywhere, too. A recent study found that 95 percent of the managers studied suffer from the condition that usually arises from a combination of individual tendencies and external conditions.

On the individual side, people who are driven, responsible and motivated to be helpful may find it hard to decline requests or to step back from new opportunities. They may feel uncomfortable leaving messages unanswered or tasks unfinished, even when their workload is already heavy. Perfectionism, fear of disappointing others, or concern about job security can all contribute.

‘Hurry-sick people are conscientious and work hard, but they struggle to acknowledge the limits of what they can take on.’

On the environmental side, today’s always‑connected culture makes continuous availability seem normal. Many people keep work communication apps on their personal phones and receive alerts outside regular hours. Hybrid work can blur boundaries between professional and personal time. The widespread use of social media also increases exposure to other people’s achievements and productivity routines, which may heighten the fear of missing out or falling behind.

AI and digital systems add further layers. Recommendation algorithms encourage ongoing engagement. Productivity platforms, metrics dashboards and “efficiency” features can create subtle pressure to increase output. It may feel risky to disconnect, slow down, or decline participation, particularly in competitive or unstable job markets. Once established, this cycle becomes self‑reinforcing. A high level of rush can start to feel like a requirement or even an identity marker, making it harder to adopt alternative habits.

What are the consequences of hurry sickness?

A certain amount of busyness is part of modern life, but extended periods of hurry can have significant consequences. From a performance standpoint, constant urgency tends to reduce effectiveness over time. It limits opportunities to pause, think critically, and view issues in context. Errors and oversights may increase, while long‑term priorities receive less attention than short‑term demands. Work can become more reactive and less strategic.

Physically and psychologically, sustained time pressure is associated with elevated stress levels. The body’s stress response system can remain activated for long periods, contributing to fatigue, sleep difficulties, irritability and difficulty concentrating. Over the longer term, high stress has been linked with increased risk of anxiety, depression and various health concerns.

Hurry sickness can also affect relationships. When people remain mentally preoccupied with tasks, they may be less present with family, friends or colleagues. Messages may be answered in haste, and minor issues may trigger stronger reactions than intended. Over time, this can reduce the quality of connection and mutual support.

Although it can be difficult to find a way out of the chaos of hurry sickness, it is possible. Make it your goal to work smarter – not harder – by finding strategies that will create lasting change.

‘A 24/7 state of connectedness means that we increasingly suffer from FOMO – fear of missing out – so we’re reluctant to disconnect and slow down.’

Let’s look at three sets of strategies that you can combine to overcome hurry sickness. Some are just common sense, but they’re easy to overlook when you’re living in a state of constant rush.

How to overcome hurry sickness

Although the experience of hurry sickness can feel entrenched, there are practical ways to reduce it. A useful approach is to combine three types of strategies (the specific mix will vary by person and situation):

• Action-oriented: changing what you do
• Acceptance-oriented: adjusting expectations and creating recovery
• Emotion-oriented: working with thoughts and feelings

Action-oriented
changing what you do

• Clarify why you are doing a task
  If someone told you to jump, what would you say? “How high?” or “Why?” Your hurry sickness might be due to saying yes to people’s requests too often and taking on too much. It’s important to question the rationale behind the demands made of you, so you can politely say no to tasks that fall outside your job description, which other people are better qualified to do, or which you don’t have time for. You’ll then have space to do a better job on the things that really matter.•
  •
• Be more assertive if your hurriedness is caused by other people not doing their jobs properly
  Learn how to give clear feedback and to avoid taking on tasks that should be delegated to others.
  •
• Stop multitasking
  The danger of juggling multiple tasks is that you spread yourself too thinly. Either you won’t work to the best of your ability, or you won’t ever complete anything.
  •
• Calmly focus on one thing at a time
  You’ll do a better job and be less rushed.
  •
• Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize
  Prioritization is a crucial survival skill for getting through pressured times. It brings order to chaos, creates calmness and space, and reduces stress.
  •
• Plan an order of work. Focus on the essential and set aside – or quietly drop – the trivia.
  •
• Improve your time management
  There are only ever 24 hours in a day. Good time management allows you to put them to the smartest possible use by getting more done in less time.

Switch your focus from activities to results, from hurriedness to effectiveness, and give dedicated, uninterrupted time to the tasks that matter. You can then target your attention where it’s most needed.

‘Prioritization is a crucial survival skill for getting through pressured times. It brings order to chaos, creates calmness and space, and reduces stress.’

Acceptance-oriented strategies
Adjusting expectations and creating recovery

These approaches apply when you have no power to change the situation, or when some conditions cannot be changed immediately, and focus on how to live more sustainably within these limits.

• Allow a slower pace at times
  Working at maximum speed over long periods is rarely sustainable. Building in regular pauses—even brief ones—to reflect, breathe, or step away from screens can help to reset attention and reduce reactivity. When circumstances permit, temporarily choosing lighter workloads or fewer projects can also provide space to recover and to reconsider priorities.
  •
• Take genuine breaks and holidays
  Planned time away from work remains important, even in an era of remote connections and AI support. Setting clear boundaries—such as enabling out‑of‑office messages, silencing work notifications and leaving the laptop closed—can make rest more effective. It is usually helpful to resist the urge to fill every moment of time off with tightly scheduled activities.
  •
• Seek support from others
  Discussing workload and time pressure with managers, colleagues, friends or family can make it easier to share responsibilities and adjust expectations. Sometimes others may not be aware of the level of pressure you are experiencing. Team discussions about meeting culture, communication norms and the use of digital tools can also reduce collective hurry.

Switching off can be tough when you’re used to being on the go, but the benefits of doing so can be immense. A week or two of fun and relaxation will reduce your anxiety and allow you to reassess your priorities.

Emotionally-oriented strategies
Working with thoughts and feelings

These strategies address the internal side of hurry sickness: beliefs, perceptions and emotional responses, and can be useful when the stress you’re experiencing comes more from how you perceive a situation than from the situation itself.

• Maintain a balanced perspective
  When under pressure, it is easy to focus on what is unfinished or what could go wrong. Intentionally asking, “What is going reasonably well?” or “What is realistically possible today?” can temper all‑or‑nothing thinking. Remembering that no individual can respond to every request or opportunity can also soften the sense of personal inadequacy.
  •
• Strengthen self‑regulation
  Working against the clock can heighten emotional reactions. Simple practices—such as pausing before responding to a message, taking a brief walk after a challenging meeting, or doing a few slow breaths—can help to reduce impulsive decisions driven by urgency. Over time, these habits support a steadier, more deliberate way of working.
  •
• Use AI tools thoughtfully
  Rather than allowing technology to dictate your pace, it can be helpful to decide where AI genuinely supports your objectives. For example, using it to handle repetitive tasks, draft first versions, or summarise long documents can free up time for reflection, creativity, and meaningful connection. At the same time, it may be wise to limit non‑essential alerts and to avoid adopting every new tool simply because it exists.

For leaders and managers, it is important to notice when team members seem to operate in a state of continuous urgency. Introducing the concept of hurry sickness, modelling healthy boundaries, and reviewing workloads and expectations can reduce risk. Encouraging realistic use of AI, emphasizing quality and sustainability over sheer volume, can also help.

Key points

Hurry sickness describes a combination of anxiety and ongoing feelings of time pressure. Its signs often include high stress, difficulty slowing down, and a tendency to overcommit. In the current AI‑enabled, post‑COVID environment, it may be reinforced by hybrid work patterns, constant connectivity, and rising expectations around productivity.

• Reducing hurry sickness does not require abandoning ambition or rejecting technology. Instead, it involves:
• Choosing tasks and commitments more carefully.
• Limiting multitasking and protecting time for focused work.
• Using time‑management and AI tools to create space, not just more activity.
• Allowing regular recovery periods and clear boundaries between work and rest.
• Maintaining a balanced outlook and seeking support when needed.

With deliberate adjustments, it is possible to work effectively and live in a connected world without being ruled by a constant sense of rush. If you notice that members of your team have a permanent sense of urgency and anxiety, introduce them to the concept of hurry sickness and alert them to the harm it can do to their health, their relationships, and their career. Be supportive, and monitor their workload carefully. You can walk them through the strategies in this article so that they can select those that will help them the most.

Important note about health

Stress can contribute to serious health problems and, in some cases, may be life‑threatening. The ideas below are intended for general information and are not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice. Anyone experiencing significant or persistent distress, or stress‑related physical symptoms, should consult appropriately qualified health professionals before making major changes to lifestyle, diet or exercise.

Image: Andy Beales – Unsplash

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