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Time-Health Connection

Too much to do, too little time: a formula for stress

"There aren't enough hours in the day."
"I don't have time."

How many times have you found yourself saying those words? Probably quite often; it's a common complaint. These days, it seems like we're all just trying to get through the day as best we can. According to Dr. Paul J. Rosch, President of the American Institute of Stress, "The problem of being too busy is real, and it's getting worse. We have less and less time to do more and more." Trying to fit more activity into your waking hours could be compared to writing more checks than your bank balance can cover. The result is the same: a deficit. And it's a definite stress trigger.

One of the causes of time deficit is information overload. According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal (April 8, 1997), the average person sends and receives 178 messages—telephone calls, faxes, Post-it Notes, voice mail, message slips, and e-mail—every day. "Add to this," says Dr. Rosch, "time spent in opening your mail and personal conversations with others and you will have a better appreciation of how many times a day interruptions take you away from what you are working on." With all that going on, no wonder we can't get anything done even though we're moving as fast as we can!

Many of us also contribute to our own problems because we don't know how to manage our time effectively. While you can't bend time to your will, you can use the time you have more efficiently. In doing so, you may be able to avoid time-deficit stress and its physical effects. Unrelieved stress can lead to a variety of ills—from tension headaches and back pain to heart disease.

Effective time management doesn't mean finding ways to cram even more activity into your day; it means changing the way you manage time. It helps you get things done, but it also helps you find time for yourself. Setting aside time to be with friends and family is beneficial to your health.

Here are some time management tips:

Set priorities. What's important to you? Your career? Family? Friends? Community?
Plan. It can save you hours of running around. Try using a day planner. Put your schedule on paper; that way, it's easier to see what you've gotten done, and what still needs to be done.
Take a break. Save time for things you enjoy. Putting yourself in control can help reduce stress.

The busier and more stressed you are, the more important it is to work some sort of relaxation technique into your day. Slowing down long enough to do something you enjoy (reading, gardening, listening to music, soaking in a hot bath, or even doing nothing at all), can relieve a lot of stress. Giving yourself 15 to 20 minutes of quiet time, twice a day, can slow your metabolism, lower your blood pressure and heart rate, and rest your body and mind. It also increases your energy level and helps you operate more efficiently. Schedule your quiet time and stick to it. By the way, no one relaxation technique is better than another, according to Dr. Rosch. What is relaxing for one person—meditation or jogging, for instance—may actually be stressful for someone else. There is nothing that works across the board, but there are guidelines.

Effective time management can be summed up in three words: Prioritize, Plan, & Protect—the 3 P's.

Spend time on the things that are important to you or that must be handled.
Plan your time; checking off items on a "to do" list gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Protect your time from unnecessary demands and interruptions by simply saying no to them or by delegating tasks and responsibilities to others.

Some final tips for beating the clock:

If possible, give yourself some freedom about when you begin and end work so that you can avoid rush-hour traffic. If you're thinking about moving, try choosing your next residence so that your daily commute is in the opposite direction of the prevailing traffic.
Arrive early to meetings or work so you can settle down and prepare yourself.
Focus on one thing at a time.
Learn how to waste time. Occasionally indulging in a totally aimless activity can be very therapeutic.
Use unexpected delays as an opportunity to read that novel you remembered to bring with you, take a walk, or just sit and watch the world go by. Even being stuck in traffic could be viewed as an opportunity to turn up the radio and tune out the world.

Yes, you can learn to manage time. You just have to mind your three P's and not let unnecessary tasks and demands keep you away from what's really important to you. Result: Time will no longer be a source of stress, but of strength. You may even end up with time on your hands!

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