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Anxiety, mania, stress, and other causes can speed us up.

Slowing down a racing mind can be tricky.

Mindfulness is a strategy of experiencing the present moment rather than racing to the next.

"It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place" –Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

"It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place" –Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

I glanced between my planner, book, computer, and phone. Where did I put my keys? I'd like to finish writing this PowerPoint before work, but I need to eat. Man, I've got that popcorn! Wait, who's texting me? Where are my keys again?

Racing: Some might call it the American way. In industrialized countries like the United States, we even walk faster (Levine and Norenzayan, 1999)—and in the U.S. are more likely to get hit by a vehicle while walking (Buehler and Pucher, 2023).

Productivity is often glorified in our culture. Taking on several tasks at once may be glamorized as a sign of hard work and dedication. But when is fast too fast?

"I'm in a hurry to get things done. Oh, I rush and rush until life's no fun. All I've really got to do is life and die but I'm in a hurry and don't know why" –Alabama, 'I'm in a Hurry'

"I'm in a hurry to get things done.

Oh, I rush and rush until life's no fun.

All I've really got to do is life and die

but I'm in a hurry and don't know why" –Alabama, 'I'm in a Hurry'

A Virtue or a Problem?

On a societal level, some have argued that a faster pace of life could be in part responsible for much of our growing mental health crisis, particularly in urban areas (Prakash et al., 2023). From a more individual perspective, speeding through days can lead us to miss out on the little details, new opportunities to align with our values, and the small interactions that build meaningful relationships.

Still, with so much to do and so little time to do it, what can we do? What strategies can help us organize our thoughts without getting overwhelmed? When does fast become too fast or indicative of a greater challenge?

Times of high activity are relatively normal, particularly during specific phases of life, like young adulthood. Many people have a heightened need for activity and novelty. Still, speeding day after day can sometimes be indicative of a larger struggle.

The Clinical Significance of a Racing Pace

A racing pace of life does not give us time to dwell. For some, consistently working extra hours or taking on multiple projects can be a way of avoiding painful thoughts and memories like those associated with grief. Still, what we are avoiding does not go away. It often has a message that needs to be processed. Without taking the time to hear it, our emotional well-being takes a toll.

Racing thoughts can also be common during times of high anxiety and for people with ADHD. Jumping from worry to worry can be exhausting and fuel a fire of nervous energy without giving time to solve the problems at hand. Creating a strategy for addressing worry through a mix of dedicated planning time, relaxation tools, and social connection is likely to foster more relief.

Finally, extreme, racing thoughts and activity can be a sign of hypomania or mania. These towering mind states are linked with bipolar disorder and cause a leap in energy. When racing accompanies mania, it accelerates past a person's normal pace of interacting with the world. The mood also will involve other symptoms like decreased need for sleep, spending sprees, grandiosity, and irritability.

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Mania usually requires evaluation and treatment by a mental health professional.

If you are struggling with a racing mind, here are five steps that you can take to regroup.

1. Take Time to Set Intentions

As someone with a propensity to fly, I've learned the value of five minutes. Whether it's time lying in my hammock while listening to the birds, or just being on the couch, I try to give myself moments throughout the day to set my intentions. What do I hope for today? Who should I check in with? What do I have planned, and what values do I wish to enact as I walk through my day? Those five minutes have sometimes been the difference between a haphazard sprint and a purposeful stride as I navigate the coming hours.

2. Write (or Draw) a Plan By Hand

In this digital age, most of us utilize some virtual resource, like an email calendar or app, to organize our time. There's nothing wrong with this. We can only write so quickly, and so in a way this forces us to gather our thoughts. Writing by hand also helps with memory. A meta-analysis of studies involving handwritten notes consistently found that college students who handwrote their notes had higher achievement than those who typed them (Flanigan et al., 2024). Specifically, writing an agenda by hand—whether for your day or life dreams—gives space for intentionality that digital tools often lack.

Imagery is a powerful style of meditation. Most are familiar with the concept of bringing to mind a picture of a beautiful place. Still, possibilities for visualization are endless. One imagery technique from compassion-focused therapy is called compassionate self-meditation. In your mind's eye, you can create an image of your core compassionate self. The picture might resemble you, or it could be a symbol, like an animal or a color. You imagine the image holding qualities of compassion-like wisdom and courage, in addition to any other attributes you would like to add. You can envision merging with it. This exercise helps us to clarify our values and strengthen our core (Gilbert, 2009).

If setting intentions is for the beginning of something, reminiscence is for after. Often, when we encounter a positive experience, we are so quick to move on to the next thing that we miss out on appreciating our first experience to the fullest extent. Reminiscing on and savoring the good things are vital skills to enjoying life.

5. If You Can't Slow Down on Your Own, Get Help

Changing your pace of life is not an easy endeavor. Still, if you are finding that your mind is racing out of control, it may be time to talk to a mental health professional. Specific psychotherapies can strengthen skills for focus and mindfulness. In addition, when relevant, biological treatments can be utilized to treat underlying conditions like ADHD or bipolar disorder.

In most cases, a quick pace of life is not indicative of a greater concern. Many people are simply active people. Yet, there can be serious drawbacks when we continue to spin in excess without taking time to slow down. For some, it can also be indicative of clinical conditions like avoidance, anxiety, ADHD, mania, or a coping mechanism for trauma. Keeping a pulse on your life pace can help you make the most of it.

To find a therapist, please visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.

Buehler, R., & Pucher, J. (2023). Overview of walking rates, walking safety, and government policies to encourage more and safer walking in Europe and North America. Sustainability, 15(7), 5719.

Flanigan, A. E., Wheeler, J., Colliot, T., Lu, J., & Kiewra, K. A. (2024). Typed versus handwritten lecture notes and college student achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational psychology review, 36(3), 78.

Gilbert, P. (2009). The Compassionate Mind: A New Approach to Life's Challenges. London: Constable and Robinson Ltd.

Levine, R. V., & Norenzayan, A. (1999). The pace of life in 31 countries. Journal of cross-cultural psychology, 30(2), 178-205.

Prakash, J., Ali, T., Chaudhury, S., & Srivastava, K. (2023). Declining mental health: An aftermath of fast-paced urbanization. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 32(2), 199-201.

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