I was picking a restaurant for lunch today. Sick, interview later, plenty of time. My brain kept pushing me toward the closest, fastest option — not because I was short on time, but because rushing is my default.
A friend pointed out: you have two hours. You need one. You have double. The math kills the anxiety instantly.
Composure isn’t a personality trait. It’s a skill — and like any skill, it needs reps. The training method is almost comically simple: when you have enough time but feel the urge to rush, don’t. Eat slowly. Walk at normal pace. Order a drink you don’t need. Prove to yourself that nothing bad happens.
The urge to rush fades in about two minutes. Every time you let it fade without obeying it, the habit weakens.
The best conditions for training are low stakes: a casual lunch, a free afternoon, an interview that doesn’t matter much. You wouldn’t practice a new golf swing in a tournament. Same principle.
Three concrete moves:
- Do the math out loud. “I have X time, I need Y. I have more than enough.” Numbers beat feelings.
- Deliberately slow one thing down. Walk slower. Chew longer. The world doesn’t end.
- Arrive early and wait. Sit with the spare time. Get comfortable with having margin.
Rushing is not efficiency. It’s anxiety wearing a productivity mask. The efficient move is to be calm, because calm people make fewer mistakes and enjoy more of their day.