A book by Chris Guillebeau

Time Anxiety

Name: Time Anxiety
Author: Chris Guillebeau

Our relationship with time is one of the most important—and most vexing—aspects of our lives. Time Anxiety provides fresh insight into the uneasiness so many of us feel, as well as concrete steps to deal with time guilt, deadline dread, and chronic rushing.

Through practical advice and simple practices, learn how to overcome the fear of running out of time, conquer the chronic indecisiveness of how to spend it, and look to the future with hopefulness instead of trepidation.

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What is time anxiety?

This is a book for people who worry about time running out. It's for those who feel there's never enough time for the things that matter, who fear they're too late for something important, and who sense there's something they should be doing right now — but aren't sure what it is.

As I paid closer attention, I noticed people described their unease in one of two ways — through the big-picture view of life, or through the day-to-day challenge of managing it. For some of us, it's both.

Read the introduction →

From the archive

Time Anxiety Is the Most Pressing Problem of Our Age (Essay) ⌛️

That’s what this post is about: something called time anxiety. I’ve been dealing with it for years, and maybe you have, too—even if you’ve never heard the name.
I believe that time anxiety is the most pressing problem of the modern world. Once you work your way through Maslow’s hierarchy and your basic needs are taken care of, you start worrying about time—and you never stop.
If you don’t relate to this feeling, consider yourself fortunate. Many people feel this way all the time. And it’s not just a conceptual idea, it’s truly a felt sense. You can experience physical symptoms, even real distress, from time anxiety.

Read “Time Anxiety Is the Most Pressing Problem of Our Age (Essay) ⌛️” →

Resources

Choose a chapter to revisit and a practical exercise to try. These reader’s guides accompany the book, with the main idea, examples, and a practice for each chapter.

Chapter 01