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The morning alarm doesn’t feel like a gentle nudge: it’s a starting pistol. The internal monologue begins its frantic race: “Hurry up, you’ll be late.” Skip the water, skip breakfast, log in fast – yet somehow, you’re already behind.
Lunch becomes brunch, exercise gets postponed, social plans pushed to ‘later’ or ‘tomorrow’. The noise of urgency is deafening.
Pause for a moment and ask: Why? We all have the same 24 hours. The math of a well-lived day is surprisingly generous: seven hours of sleep, 30 minutes each for three mindful meals, 30 minutes for movement and personal care. That still leaves a solid 10-hour window for work, connection and creativity.
The deficit isn’t in the clock – it’s in our constant state of rush.
Rush Syndrome – also called Hurry Sickness – is a stealthy thief. It doesn’t just steal minutes; it robs peace and health. It trades nourishment for haste and replaces calm with panic. This culture of speed comes at a high cost: anxiety builds, frustration piles up, and our well-being cracks. The ceaseless urgency elevates cortisol and adrenaline, fuelling exhaustion, anxiety, cardiovascular risks and weakened immunity.
Slowing down through deliberate pauses causes nervous system to reset and leads to sustainable health.
The solution isn’t in radical overhaul, but conscious recalibration. It begins with one simple, radical act – the pause.
Your day on pause:
* Take a glass of water before reaching for your phone. Greet your family, ask about their well-being. It’s not wasted time – it’s an emotional investment.
* A 30-minute breakfast or lunch is non-negotiable. It’s an appointment with yourself to recharge your brain and body for sharper focus later in the afternoon.
* Take 10-minute breaks. Between tasks, walk, sip coffee or tea, or read something new. Think of it as a mental commute to arrive home calm and present.
* Further it’s important to make a quick call to your beloved person, send a celebratory text or share a meal. Never think these are distractions from productivity – it’s resilience in action, nourishing your spirit.
Consider, your career is a house you construct with efforts and years of hard work. Your family and your health are the home you need to live in until you are alive. A strong home supports a lasting, successful journey in your career.
This isn’t about doing less. It’s about being progressively present, more intentional, and more grasp of valuable 24 hours we are gifted daily.
By pacing down, we don’t fall behind – we step ahead into a life that’s not just faster, but fuller, richer, and remarkably more sustainable.
Start now – not tomorrow. It begins with your next deliberate breath.
Dr Ansa Savad Salim
Assistant Professor, University of Bahrain
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