No Time to Rush

No Time to Rush

I have no time to rush

                      Tara Brach

It is a common mistake to believe that by rushing we get more done. Very often it is just the opposite. Surely I am not the only one who spilled out something or broke a beloved object when rushing around at home, and then had to do a lot of extra cleaning? Perhaps you, too, have left your house in a hurry, just to notice halfway down the road that you forget your wallet or the letter that urgently needed to be posted. Those are the moments when we realise that there is no use in rushing around heedlessly when we’re short of time, but instead collect our thoughts, breathe deeply and try to stay calm and focused.

Actually, there is rushing and rushing. You can either rush because you’re stressed out – that’s when all the mishaps happen to you – or you can move quickly, but still know exactly what you are doing, and why. Obviously it is the first category we need to work with. When stress gets its claws in us it’s crucial to catch ourselves and stop. Stand still for a short while, take a couple of deep breaths, and ask yourself:

Why am I rushing? Is it really necessary?
If yes: What is the most urgent thing to do?
When does it need to be ready and done?
How should I best use the time I have at my disposal?

Then we can continue doing what we have to do with full attention, not losing a moment because we rush around blindly. If we do our very best to accomplish our tasks in time and still don’t succeed, the world will certainly not collapse because of that.