Stress In Banking Hurry Sickness

Are you always "in a hurry" these days? You walk faster, talk faster, drive faster, eat faster, and schedule two days work in one, knowing you can't accomplish that much, but figure if you really try, you'll get twice as much done as usual?if only nothing goes wrong.

Although you are productive on the job, and even manage to stay ahead of everything at home, you've changed. You know this, and maybe others have noticed that you're different now. You are in a tremendous hurry no matter what you're doing. You may have tried to slow down, but find that you have lost the ability to do that. You don't have time for 'mini' vacations, so you grab one big block of time for vacation, and hope that will relax you for the entire year.

You drive much faster than you used to, and are much more aggressive behind the wheel than before?more impatient with other drivers.

You probably are not as involved with family members as you used to be. You explain this away to yourself as a "sign of the times-nobody is as family oriented now." When you are at home with leisure time, you don't get involved in projects, but rather tend to simply doze in front of the TV.

Friendships which were once important have been neglected, because it takes time to stay in touch. And time is at a premium in your life.

You tend to "save time" by doing all you can to speed things up-like running up or down stairs rather than wait for an elevator, or line-hopping check-out counters.

You'd rather do things yourself, because nobody else does them as fast as you do, and it would take too long to explain it anyway.

Your mind is always on the next thing?even while you are working on this one. And though your body is complaining of chronic fatigue, and you are accomplishing more than you ever dreamed possible, you seem to be constantly depressed and emotionally drained-unable to enjoy life anymore.

You once used to think of yourself as a person with a great sense of humor, but now just try to get through the day without losing your temper, or becoming depressed. You seldom laugh.

If any of the above symptoms sound like you, you may be suffering from "Hurry Sickness", so named by some doctors to describe a deeply rooted sense of urgency?persons concerned ONLY with completing tasks, with no regard for other aspects of life. These changes may have taken place over many years, and may now affect all areas of your life.

One of the most important steps toward the "cure" of Hurry Sickness is the realization that just as you were responsible for giving it to yourself, you also are responsible for getting rid of it. It's easy to blame this on the pressures of the job, or home, or family, (and there may even be some truth in this.)

But you also know that there are others who are dealing with these same pressures who have not changed as you have. They have accepted the fact that problems are a part of life and always will be. Hurrying will not change that. Making some choices will.

Choose to stay calm, to not hurry. Choose to enjoy a few minutes pleasant conversation several times a day. Choose to call someone for no reason at all?just to stay in touch. (Can you remember the last time you did that?) Choose to take a break. Choose to get away on day trips, an evening out, or a weekend pampering yourself. Choose to focus on the positive portions of your life, and the realization that you have more than enough self-control to overcome this stress-maker that you have developed.

It was Gandhi who said, "There is more to life than increasing its speed."

Make the choices that will help you get more out of life.

Copyright © 1990 Bankers' Hotline. Originally appeared in Bankers' Hotline, Vol. 1, No. 3, 3/90