Chronic time pressure not only means stress, but can also have health consequences. Which strategies can help reduce the feeling of lack of time – not just before Christmas.
Many people have the feeling that there aren’t enough hours in the day: they rush from task to task and can hardly rest – because there is “no time” for it. According to experts, this perceived lack of time, also known as time poverty, is widespread.
Chronic time pressure means stress. And it is therefore associated with increased cortisol levels, high blood pressure, heart and circulatory diseases, as well as unhealthy eating habits and an increased risk of obesity. Psychological consequences such as burnout, depression or anxiety disorders are also possible.
But period poverty is not an inevitable fate, emphasizes psychologist Prof. Ruth Ogden in the magazine “BBC Science Focus”. With a few simple, scientifically supported strategies, the feeling of being short of time can be significantly reduced. Your five tips:
1. Learn to say no
Not every obligation has to be accepted – if you consciously say no, you create space for the really important things.
Ogden’s advice: Saying you don’t have time doesn’t necessarily make yourself more popular. A better strategy for saying no is: a) Asking for more time – for tasks at work, for example. b) Making it clear that you are saying no because of circumstances that are beyond your control. c) It’s better not to give a reason for saying no than just “I don’t have time for that”.
2. Do a time analysis
In a sample week, record how you spend your time – from job meetings to social media, cooking, sorting socks, and the like. Ogden recommends not going into too much detail, but working in 30-minute increments. This way you can see where you can free up some time through small changes. An example: Cooking dinner in advance and having half an hour more time in the evening.
3. Delegate or outsource tasks
Be it household chores, shopping or small everyday tasks: If you share it with others in the household or outsource it (robot vacuum, grocery delivery), you can essentially buy time and consciously use it for relaxation or important projects.
4. Keep a “what have I accomplished” list
This is a kind of reverse to-do list. Writing down what you’ve completed at the end of the day promotes feelings of productivity and satisfaction. Ogden recommends taking five minutes to do this. Seeing everything in black and white gives you more self-confidence. Also because at best you can see that you are actually using your time quite well.
5. Schedule blocks of time
This is about setting boundaries for yourself. You should clearly differentiate between tasks and free time and “block” them in the calendar – for example, set times for work, emails and relaxation. This helps to avoid overwhelm and distraction.
“For example, if you can’t relax after work because your emails are still open, block 15 minutes in the evening every day just for emails,” says Ogden. Afterwards, you should turn off email notifications or switch your smartphone to sleep mode, advises the Professor of Psychology of Time at Liverpool John Moores University.
You can find more tips on time management here:
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