Unlearning Urgency: How to Stop Rushing Through Life

Hello! Welcome to another edition of ABC of Mental Health, your partner in the journey to better mental health, one newsletter at a time.

This edition explores how modern life conditions us to equate speed with success, often at the cost of well-being and clarity. This week, we look at practical strategies to slow down, become more present, and prioritise what truly matters. By challenging the constant need to “do more”, you can learn to embrace intentional living, reduce stress, and reclaim joy. 

If you like what you read here, click to share this newsletter via WhatsApp today! 😊 

One relevant recommendation:

Practise "strategic pausing" throughout your day

Take deliberate 1–2 minute pauses between tasks to breathe, check in with your body, and reset your mindset. These micro-pauses help break the habit of rushing, reduce stress, and reintroduce intention into your actions. Over time, this rewires your brain to value presence over speed, helping you unlearn urgency and approach life with more calm and clarity.

Two Quotes on Unlearning Urgency:

A Zen (ancient Japanese philosophy) proverb on the importance of unlearning urgency:

“You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day — unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.”

A recent quote by entrepreneur Sahil Bloom, who often speaks about productivity, presence, and intentional living:

“Urgency is a false god. Most things that feel urgent are not important, and most things that are important do not feel urgent.”

Three TherapyShorts from TST

1. Start Your Day Without Your Phone
   For at least the first 30 minutes of your day, keep your phone away from you. You can set the tone of your day and decide one thing that you would like to do by the end of the day. Avoiding screens helps you begin your day with intention, not reaction, allowing you to be more purposeful throughout the day. Replace phone use with a calming routine — journaling, stretching, sipping tea, or simply breathing.

2. Schedule "White Space" Between Tasks

   Give yourself some buffer between the tasks that you have planned for the day. Back-to-back activities fuel urgency and may overwhelm you, given that timelines can easily shift due to factors outside your control. You can help account for those by adding a 10 to 15 minute gap between meetings, errands, or chores. Use this time to pause, breathe, or do nothing. It helps reset your mind and pace, even freeing up more energy for the task ahead.

3. Practice the “One-Thing Rule”
   Multitasking creates stress and shallow focus. By adopting the simple practice of doing only one thing at a time before moving on to the next, you can use your full focus and be present in the moment. Instead of juggling tasks or mentally jumping ahead to what’s next, you give your attention to just one task, no matter how small. Whether it’s writing an email, brushing your teeth, eating lunch, or having a conversation — the goal is to be fully there.  

A QUICK QUESTION…

How do you know when it is time to slow down? Vote here!

Last week, we asked you which area of your life suffers the most from over-giving, and the responses were… (drumroll please)…

With care and compassion,

The Social Therapist

P.S.: When in doubt, slow down!