3 Ways To Prevent 'Time Sickness'

Does time feel as though it's slipping away from you? You could be battling 'time sickness.' Here's how you can fight it back.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | February 10, 2025

"Time sickness" is a term coined by Dr. Larry Dossey in his 1982 book Space, Time & Medicine to describe the distress and potential health consequences arising from the belief that time is constantly slipping away and that one can never accomplish enough.

If you've ever felt crushed by an endless to-do list—juggling work, relationships, self-care and responsibilities—you've likely experienced time sickness. This state of constant urgency fuels guilt, exhaustion and the feeling of never doing enough.

Here are three powerful ways, backed by psychological insights, to reclaim control of your life and cultivate balance and peace in a world that never hits pause.

1. Change Your Relationship With Time

A 2022 review found that prolonged stress and burnout significantly increase anxiety and depression, with burnout rates reaching 74% in high-pressure environments. While focused on teachers, the study reflects a larger issue—the relentless pressure to keep up takes a toll on mental and physical health. At its core, time sickness is the overwhelming sense that life is slipping away in a race you can never win.

However, time isn't something to compete against—it's a resource to use with intention. The real problem isn't necessarily how much time we have, but how we think about it. When you stop seeing time as an enemy, you shift your focus from cramming more into your day to prioritizing what truly matters. Instead of scrambling to catch up, you let go of unnecessary guilt and start aligning your time with what brings meaning and fulfillment to your life.

Here are some ways to shift your mindset about time:

• Stop measuring time by productivity. Your worth isn't defined by how much you accomplish in a day. Focus on meaningful moments, not just completed tasks. At the end of each day, list one or two moments that brought you genuine joy or connection—whether that was a quiet coffee break, a conversation with a friend or even a few minutes of deep breathing.
• Let go of the "perfect timeline." Instead of adhering to strict deadlines for milestones like career moves or personal goals, create flexible "windows" during which you'd like to achieve them. Write down one major goal and list several realistic, smaller steps to get there. Allow yourself room to adapt the plan if life takes an unexpected turn.
• See time as a partner, not a rival. Instead of racing against time, work with it. Set realistic expectations, allow for rest and recognize that slowing down often leads to greater fulfillment. At the start of each week, set realistic expectations by drafting a schedule that blends work tasks with intentional "me time." This balance can lead to more sustainable progress in both work and personal life.

By choosing to see time as a partner rather than an enemy, you've laid the groundwork for a healthier, more intentional schedule. Next, it's important to learn how to protect that newfound space and safeguard your attention in a world overflowing with distractions.

2. Manage Your Attention, Not Just Your Time

Modern life bombards us with distractions, making multitasking feel like the only way to keep up. Whether it's answering emails over breakfast, juggling multiple tasks at work or switching between conversations and chores at home, we often believe we're being productive—when, in reality, we're just fragmenting our attention.

Dr. Sophie Leroy, an internationally recognized scholar and professor, coined the term "attention residue" to describe how shifting between tasks leaves part of your focus stuck on the previous one.

In her 2018 study, published in Organization Science,Leroy and her co-author found that when people anticipate returning to an unfinished task under time pressure, they experience attention residue, making it harder to focus on the interrupting task.

However, the study also found that using a "ready-to-resume" plan—briefly reflecting on and planning the return to the unfinished task—can help mitigate these effects and improve overall performance.

So, when everything and everyone is vying for your attention, here are some ways to reclaim it:

• "Single-task" with intention. Multitasking slows you down and reduces efficiency. Instead of juggling multiple tasks, fully engage with one thing at a time. When working, close unnecessary tabs, silence notifications and give yourself a distraction-free block of time.
• Use the "ready-to-resume" plan. Before switching tasks, take 30 seconds to jot down where you left off. This clears mental space, reduces attention residue and makes it easier to refocus when you return.
• Set boundaries around distractions. Identify your biggest interruptions—phone notifications, emails, background noise—and create limits. Try designated screen-free hours or scheduling "deep work" sessions where you focus uninterrupted.
• Give your brain transition time. When shifting between tasks, pause for a moment to reset. Take a few deep breaths, stretch or briefly reflect before jumping into something new.

By managing your attention instead of constantly reacting to distractions, you create mental clarity, reduce stress and make time feel more expansive. But there's another layer to time sickness—one that isn't just about what you focus on, but how you experience time itself.

3. Slow Down And Savor The Present

When you're constantly rushing to the next task, you rob yourself of truly experiencing life as it happens. In other words, your perception of time expands when you're fully engaged in the present instead of worrying about how little of it you have left.

In a 2017 study published in Mindfulness, researchers found that simply paying more attention to the present moment, also known as "dispositional mindfulness," and consciously savoring positive experiences can work together to boost day-to-day positive emotions and overall psychological health.

Over a nine-week period, participants who reported higher mindfulness and savoring enjoyed greater increases in positive emotions, fewer depressive symptoms and improved life satisfaction.

Slowing down isn't about ignoring responsibilities or ditching your goals. It's about cultivating what positive psychologists call "time affluence"—the sense that you have enough mental space and flexibility to savor your experiences rather than rush through them.

By intentionally pausing to appreciate everyday moments—even the seemingly mundane—you can ease the constant sense of urgency and restore a healthier balance in your life.

Here are some ways to slow down and truly savor the present:

• Practice "micro-moments" of mindfulness. You don't always need an hour of meditation to reset. Pause for 60 seconds to focus on your breath, notice your surroundings or feel the warmth of a coffee mug in your hands. These small, intentional pauses can recenter you throughout the day.
• Engage your senses. Whether you're eating a meal or walking outside, direct your attention to the sights, sounds, textures and smells around you. This sensory awareness anchors your mind in the here and now, reducing the urge to fast-forward through your experiences.
• Celebrate tiny wins. At the end of each day, reflect on one small accomplishment or moment of joy—a productive brainstorming session, a heartfelt conversation or even a well-deserved break. Recognizing these moments trains your mind to value what you have rather than what's missing.
• Create intentional gaps. Schedule mini "buffers" between tasks or meetings—just five minutes to stretch, sip water or step outside. These brief intervals help prevent that frantic, "back-to-back" feeling around your tasks and allow you to approach each new task more calmly and effectively.

By consciously slowing down and immersing yourself in the present moment, you'll not only fight time sickness but also discover that life feels richer when you're not racing against the clock.

Time sickness can trick you into believing you're stuck in a relentless race. But once you step off the treadmill of constant hurry and learn to work with time rather than against it, life opens up in unexpected ways.

The pace of the world won't slow down—but you can choose your own rhythm, discover more room for what truly matters and finally feel in control of your time.

Ever wonder how in-the-moment you actually are? Take this research-backed test to uncover your personal mindfulness score: Mindful Attention Awareness Scale

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here, and on PsychologyToday.com, here.