Chronopathy: The Obsession with Being Productive

CHRONOPATHY

Chronopathy is a form of obsession that makes people slaves to their time and constantly worried about wasting it or not making the most of it. This leads to anxiety, stress, and even difficulties in human relationships. The term chronopathy derives from two Greek words, chronos (time is pathos (suffering). People suffering from chronopathy may experience physical and mental exhaustion.

CAUSES

There are no specific causes that explain chronopathy and its onset. The phenomenon has certainly expanded for several reasons:

• The excessive dependence on technologies
• The anxiety of the present, the so-called presentism, which pushes people into a circular, and not linear, conception of time, according to its natural dynamics
• The distorted relationship with one's commitments and responsibilities
• The overload of commitments
• The lack of space and time for total relaxation
• The idea that doing things quickly means doing them better and with better results

SYMPTOMS

Among the most common symptoms of chronopathy are:

• The inability to manage schedules and being in very frequent chronic delay
• The anxiety of organizing appointments and diaries
• The frequent brood
• poor esteem
• Struggle to maintain concentration
• Uncertainty in making decisions

CONSEQUENCES

Those affected by chronopathy are overwhelmed daily by unjustified obsessions, such as "I never have time," "I'm wasting time," "I have too many commitments to rest." This leads to an attitude of life immersed in haste and uncertainty, a loss of clarity, a chronic inability to make decisions at the right time, carefully weighing the pros and cons, and a lack of awareness of one's own resources.

REMEDIES

For chronopathy, it is not necessary to consult a specialist doctor, psychiatrist, or psychotherapist, unless these conditions become chronic. In the initial phase, techniques can be tried to: manage stress, such as Mindfulness, which help to free oneself from anxiety. At the same time, one must make an effort to cultivate positive thoughts, a healthy lightness and the optimism of the will. Finally, lifestyles matter: healthy eating, regular physical activity, good sleep, regenerating afternoon rest. And finding a hobby, with a related passion: an excellent prevention against the risk of chronopathy.

OBSESSIONS THAT MAKE LIFE WORSE:

• Obsessed with hygiene: you risk asthma, allergies, and a steep decline in your immune defenses.
• Mysophobia: The Obsession with Cleanliness
• Compulsive Hoarding: Causes, Symptoms, and Remedies
• Orthorexia: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, and Prevention
• Nomophobia: the fear of a cell phone not ringing