Chronopathy, the obsession to take advantage of the time 10 recommendations

Take the roses while you can
fast time flies.
The same flower you admire today,
Tomorrow will be dead ..

Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

Today we talk about chronopathy as the obsession with taking advantage of time, especially in a world in which productivity prevails.

As the South Korean philosopher, Byung Chul Han stated: "Now one explodes himself that he is being performed ... which culminates with the burned worker's syndrome".

At present, what Many individuals aspire is the maximum efficiency, so the ability to get the most out of time is highly valued. However, this cannot always be beneficial, especially for the stress that it can bring.

Content

• What is chronopathy
• How do people with chronopathy live and what are the consequences?
• The real rest
• Some recommendations to learn to rest
  • Bibliography

What is chronopathy

Chronopathy It is a compound word derived from Greek Cronos, who in Greek mythology was considered the god of human time, that is, everything related to calendars, crops and stations, while the word pathos It translates as suffering either disease, Among his other meanings.

It is because of that, Chronopathy refers to a type of syndrome in which people become obsessed over time And how to take advantage of it, regardless of how exhausted they feel.

It is important to highlight that chronopathy is not contemplated in any manual as a mental disorder, but that it is considered a condition that generates discomfort to those who suffer from it and that can even cause chronic stress.

It is interesting the approach made by the philosopher Xavier Zubiri, about the descriptive concept of time, because, he points out that time has its own and peculiar characters, different depending on the temporal things, since, for example, ““ the same is not the same is not the same physical time that mental time ". So that time is presented as something that goes going, a present that is being done and goes to a future, so, time is a pass that has three parts: a present, a past and a future.

The issue of time has been a source of inspiration in many mythologies; In the case of the Greek world, it is Kronos who devours his children, erecting himself as an idea that engenders all things and devouring them later.

People with chronopathy live watching the clock and filling their agendas, assigning a task to each space they see blank. The purpose is to avoid what would be called "dead times".

This phenomenon was what inspired psychiatrist Marian Rojas I was writing a book entitled How to make good things happen to you, in which he suggests that the person must get rid of the tyranny that the two clock needles represent.

In her work, the author questions the phrase "I have no time", since, although sometimes it serves as an excuse to get rid of certain plans, it is also true that sometimes it prevents the person from enjoying what they really want to do. This is because todes have the same amount of hours a day, but not everyone can choose how to use their time or how to invest it because the obligations do not allow it. In any case, the author's invitation is learn to do anything, which represents a challenge for many people in these modern times.

How do people with chronopathy live and what are the consequences?

People obsessed with taking advantage of time usually live as follows:

• In a constant hurry, as if they were competing and must reach a goal.
• They fail to stop or rest, even when they are exhausted.
• They do not enjoy the present moment, the simple pleasures of life or the company with their loved ones.
• They have the idea that, having a little free time, they will be judged as lazy.
• They experience guilt, anxiety or frustration if they are not doing any activity.
• They have little patience, because the truth is that they hope to resolve all matters immediately.

From this lifestyle derives not only physical, but also mental exhaustion; a state of hyperactivity that prevents clearly thinking. In addition, they have a distorted perception over time, since they feel that it takes place at dizzying rhythms; They feel stress and high levels of tension that, if extended, can make them suffer from other alterations such as muscle pains, insomnia and hypertension.

In the most serious cases, people, being more focused on how to take advantage of time, can disconnect from their emotions and feelings.

The real rest

For the author indicated above, the rest time is in extinction and quotes the writer Gregorio Marañón for whom “the speed, which is a virtue, begets a vice, which is the hurry”. This is due to the idea that you have that, in a hurry, better and greater results in life.

It should also be noted that The sadness of Sunday afternoon, or "dark Sunday", occurs when people live intensely during the week, Then the fun plans for Fridays and Saturdays arrive, but on Sunday everything changes because they are alone with themselves, without excess activities, and do not know how to deal with it. On Sunday, then these people obsessed with taking advantage of time may experience guilt or feeling of vacuum. Thus, it is increasing First indication: rest!

It is at that time that the person begins to rethink life and initiates a new stage in which he gives importance to what he really deserves it. However, it is not necessary to reach these extremes to lead a healthy life.

Some recommendations to learn to rest

Among the recommendations to pause, are the following:

1. Learn to stop: In order to really observe and enjoy what is happening around, because, when running, the beauty of simple things is not perceived, such as a landscape, a sunset, a song, an inspiring reading, among others, without feeling guilt or that Time is wasting, since enjoying enjoyment, health and better quality of life are being won. Even the biggest need leisure times; An example of this was the great philosopher René Descartes, who had visions and dreams after having been resting for several months. Similarly, Newton's discoveries were given at rest; Plato made its maximum center from the gardens of Akademus and the famous shoutEureka! From Archimedes, it is said that it happened when he was immersed in a bathtub. Even the greatest geniuses need a moment of pause, not a frantic life.
2. Take a space for loneliness: To learn from silence and resume the projects and illusions of life with true passion. Well, the world is suffering from stress that prevents everyone from listening to their inner voice and knowing himself.
3. Enjoy Sunday: Leaving social networks and phone, as well as the clock. This is gain, since it brings peace and serenity.
4. Avoid covering too much: Learning to delegate tasks, or to give up if necessary, to go to savor of nature, beaches, mountain, sea and experience other sensations that bring true delight and make the person feel fullness.
5. Leave white spaces on the agenda: To simply disconnect and rest. Only then can energy be recovered.
6. Try not to plan everything: This implies releasing the control that is tried to have on each matter. Sometimes, things are necessary to flow at their own pace, without pressing.
7. Enjoy the process: Those who do everything in a hurry generally do not enjoy what they are living, in addition to feeling frustration of any inconvenience, since they consider it as a delay. But, the important thing is to learn from each lesson in life.
8. Change the perception of life: and focus on what really makes sense; without immersing themselves in tasks that are often empty, but that are fulfilled by obligation. It is necessary to give something to the world, but not as an obligation, but from love and with a good attitude, as recommended by Viennese psychiatrist Viktor Frankl from his logotherapeutic approach.
9. Learn to release: since, on many occasions, the frantic obsession over time is related to the need to control everything that happens.
10. Ask for help: There are cases in which it is advisable.

Chronopathy can become a real problem, of not being aware of it, of acting blindly following the clock and being dragged by the voracity imposed by modernity.

The occupied life syndrome

Bibliography

• Elias, n. (2021). Over time. Fund of Economic Culture.
• Han, b. C. (2020). The Burnout Society. Stanford University Press.
• Pimentel Irigoyen, to., & Díaz Hernández, A. "How to make good things happen to you" with Marian Rojas-Stapé.
• Zubiri, x. (1976). The descriptive concept of time. Realitas II, 7-47.