Time Anxiety: The Illusion of Urgency That’s Stealing Your Joy with Chris Guillebeau

The One You Feed | Personal Growth, Emotional Resilience & Purpose

Eric Zimmer, The One You Feed

Buddhism, Mental Health, Education, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness, Religion & Spirituality

4.5 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 20 January 2026

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Falling off a goal is normal. Knowing how to get back on track—without shame or drama—is the real skill. I’m hosting a free 60-minute live workshop on Tuesday, January 27 at 7pm ET to teach a simple framework for getting unstuck. Register now for Falling Off is Part of It: The Framework for Getting Back on Track (Without the Drama)! In this episode, Chris Guillebeau explores time anxiety and the illusion of urgency that is st. aling your joy. He explains the pervasive feeling of never having enough time, discusses the psychological roots of time anxiety, and shares practical strategies for managing competing demands, avoidance, and procrastination. Chris also offers insights on creating personal “rules of engagement,” decluttering schedules, and embracing acceptance, encouraging listeners to cultivate a more intentional, compassionate, and fulfilling relationship with time. Exciting News!!! Coming in March, 2026, my new book, How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life is now available for pre-orders! Key Takeaways: Definition and exploration of time anxiety as a psychological issue. The distinction between feeling overwhelmed and traditional productivity challenges. The impact of competing priorities and requests on time management. The concept of “rules of engagement” for managing daily demands. Strategies for overcoming avoidance and procrastination. The importance of self-awareness and intentionality in managing time. Practical tips for improving time management, such as allowing buffer time for tasks. The idea of “time decluttering” to create space in schedules. The role of cognitive distortions in exacerbating time-related stress. Encouragement to embrace a mindset shift towards a more fulfilling relationship with time. For full show notes: https://www.oneyoufeed.net/time-anxiety/https://www.oneyoufeed.net/time-anxiety/! If you enjoyed this episode with Chris Guillebeau, check out: Chris Guillebeau (Interview from 2014) How to Accept Limitations and Make Time for What Counts with Oliver Burkeman Time Management for Mortals with Oliver Burkeman Oliver Burkeman on Modern Time Management (2019) By purchasing products and/or services from our sponsors, you are helping to support The One You Feed and we greatly appreciate it. Thank you! This episode is sponsored by: David Protein bars deliver up to 28g of protein for just 150 calories—without sacrificing taste! For a limited time, our listeners can receive this special deal: buy 4 cartons and get the 5th free when you go to www.davidprotein.com/FEED Aura Frames: For a limited time, save on the perfect gift by visiting AuraFrames.com /FEED to get $35 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames – named #1 by Wirecutter – by using promo code FEED at checkout. This deal is exclusive to listeners, and frames sell out fast, so order yours now to get it in time for the holidays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Eric. Quick question. Did you set a goal in January that's already gone quiet? Or have you
0:06.5	fallen off a goal even before that and haven't been able to restart? If so, you're not alone.
0:12.0	Here's what I've learned after three decades of studying how people change. Everyone falls off.
0:18.0	The difference between people who succeed and people who stay stuck isn't discipline.
0:23.1	It's knowing how to get back on track without turning it into a crisis. That's a skill.
0:29.3	And most of us were never taught it. So I'm hosting a free live workshop on Tuesday,
0:34.2	January 27th at 7 p.m. Eastern. It's called Falling Off is part of it, how to get back on
0:40.4	track, and I'm going to teach you the exact framework I use for getting unstuck without all
0:46.2	the shame and drama your brain wants to add. Whether you're off track right now or you just
0:51.9	want to be ready for when it happens because it will this
0:55.2	workshop will show you a different way it's 60 minutes it's free and it might change how
1:00.8	you think about setbacks for good register at one you feed.net slash restart that's one you
1:07.2	feed dot net slash restart. See you there.
1:15.4	One of the most important things you can do in your life is to give yourself the gift of time.
1:19.2	There's a cliche about time is the most precious resource, which is also true.
1:20.3	It's a cliche and it's true.
1:23.6	It's the most precious resource, yet we don't really live that way. Welcome to the one you feed. Throughout time, great thinkers have recognized the importance of the thoughts we have.
1:38.2	Quotes like garbage in, garbage out, or you are what you think, ring true. And yet, for many of us, our thoughts don't
1:46.0	strengthen or empower us. We tend toward negativity, self-pity, jealousy, or fear. We see what we don't
1:53.7	have instead of what we do. We think things that hold us back and dampen our spirit. But it's not
1:59.6	just about thinking. Our actions matter. It takes
2:02.9	conscious, consistent, and creative effort to make a life worth living. This podcast is about how other
	...

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