Overcoming time anxiety and living in the moment

One of the few certainties in life is time. We get older, and the years roll on. While this may sound like stating the obvious, for some people, this fact causes extreme levels of anxiety. 

This anxiety — sometimes referred to as “time anxiety” — can involve excessive worries about the passage of time, including both existential worries (“Am I spending my time in the most meaningful way?”) and day-to-day worries (“Will I be late to this event?”). 

Time anxiety can be difficult to live with. In some cases, it may become debilitating and could signify an underlying mental health condition. But with the support of a therapist, you can overcome these fears and feel confident in your ability to spend your time wisely.

What do symptoms of time anxiety feel like?

Time anxiety feels different for different people. Some people may worry about the passage of time in a more existential way, while others may become stressed as each minute or hour ticks by. 

Time anxiety isn’t a formally recognized mental health condition, so there’s no official set of “symptoms.” However, the following experiences could be signs that you might be experiencing time anxiety:

• Feeling rushed even when you have plenty of time: You might constantly feel like you’re running out of time, even for nonurgent tasks. This could show up in how you view your overall life on a large scale or on a day-to-day scale.
• Difficulty being present in the moment: You could find yourself preoccupied with what’s next on your schedule instead of enjoying what you’re doing now.
• Constantly checking the time: Whether it’s looking at your watch or phone, you might feel compelled to monitor the clock throughout the day.
• Frequently worrying about being late: You’re always worried about being late, even when there’s no reason to be. The thought of being late fills you with a sense of dread.
• Avoiding commitments or deadlines: Fear of not having enough time to meet expectations might lead you to hesitate before agreeing to plans or projects.
• Overscheduling your day: You may try to maximize productivity by cramming your calendar and not leaving enough room for rest or flexibility.
• Regretting “wasted” time: You might ruminate over past decisions or wish you’d spent your time differently.
• Feeling fearful of the future: Thinking about how quickly time passes — or how little you feel you’ve accomplished — may trigger feelings of dread or hopelessness.
• Having an intense fear of getting older: Significant milestones, like birthdays, might worsen worries about how time is slipping away or how much still remains to do in your life.
• Reflecting nightly on regrets about your day: You might lie awake at night going over what you wish you’d done differently during the day.
• Experiencing physical tension: Stress about time could show up as headaches, muscle tightness, or other physical signs of anxiety.
• Striving for perfection: You might feel pressure to “make every second count” in the way you spend your time, which can lead to unrealistic expectations.
• Experiencing existential concerns about life’s meaning: You may find yourself grappling with big-picture questions about whether you’re spending your time in a meaningful way.
• Comparing your timeline to others: Watching peers achieve milestones — like promotions, relationships, or major purchases — might increase your anxiety about falling behind.

What’s really causing your time anxiety?

Several different factors — including various mental health conditions — can contribute to fear or anxiety around the passage of time. Time anxiety isn’t necessarily a sign of an underlying mental health condition, nor is it officially recognized as a symptom of any condition. 

But if your time anxiety is getting in the way of your day-to-day life or you’re experiencing additional mental health symptoms, it may be worthwhile to consider the following conditions:

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

OCD is a mental health condition characterized by obsessions, or intrusive and unpleasant thoughts that won’t leave your mind. People with OCD can have obsessions about anything, including time. For example, they may have persistent intrusive thoughts about the existential nature of time, plagued by questions like, “Am I using my time on Earth in the right way?” People with OCD also experience compulsions in response to these fears, like constantly asking others for reassurance about time-related matters.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

People with ADHD may experience time anxiety due to their difficulties with time management in general. It’s well documented that ADHD can cause challenges with time, including chronic lateness and over- or underestimating how long things will take. These struggles can lead people with ADHD to view time as a constant stressor.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Although time anxiety isn’t a recognized symptom of autism, many autistic people struggle with unstructured time and routines. This could be related to the need for structure and rigidity that many autistic people face, where disruptions to their sense of order or timing may feel overwhelming.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

GAD can involve excessive worries about many aspects of life, including time. If you live with generalized anxiety, you may feel stressed about being late, wasting time, or not using your time in a meaningful way. Existential concerns, like whether you’re spending your time wisely, may also be amplified by GAD. Research also shows that anxiety makes time appear to pass more quickly, which could contribute to time anxiety. 

Specific phobia  

Specific phobia is an anxiety disorder that causes intense fear of specific things or situations. Certain phobias can cause anxiety around time. For example, chronophobia is the specific fear of time or the passage of time. Documented cases also include phobias of growing older.

How serious is time anxiety?

Time anxiety isn’t necessarily a sign of an underlying mental health condition. Many people experience anxiety around the passage of time, such as fearing getting older or feeling stressed about being late. These fears aren’t always serious, and they may not require treatment.

However, if your time anxiety interferes with daily living or causes emotional distress, it may be time to seek mental health treatment. Additionally, if you believe that time anxiety could reflect an underlying mental health condition, it’s unlikely to improve with self-help strategies alone.

Even without a diagnosable mental health condition, severe time anxiety can negatively affect your life. For example, you might:

• Struggle to focus on tasks because you’re constantly worrying about how much time you have left
• Avoid starting new projects because you fear you won’t have enough time to complete them
• Feel “paralyzed” by the thought of aging or running out of time, which prevents you from enjoying the present moment
• Frequently check the time, which ironically leads to increased stress rather than a sense of control
• Experience difficulty sleeping as your mind races with time-related worries

Learning to cope with the passage of time

Whether or not your time anxiety is a sign of an underlying mental health condition, there are ways to cope with these worries and learn to enjoy your time more.

1. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is a powerful way to ground yourself in the present moment. Techniques like deep breathing, guided meditation, or simply observing your surroundings can help you redirect your focus away from worries about the past or future. 

Instead of dwelling on how time is slipping away, mindfulness encourages you to fully experience each moment as it comes. Even a few minutes of mindful practice each day can help reduce time-related stress.

2. Set realistic goals for your day

Creating a manageable to-do list can help you feel more in control of your time. Focus on prioritizing tasks that truly matter, and don’t overfill your schedule. Allow for flexibility so you can adapt to unexpected changes without feeling overwhelmed. Remember, productivity isn’t about doing as much as possible but about spending your time on what aligns with your priorities.

3. Challenge perfectionistic thinking

It’s easy to feel pressured to make every second count, but that mindset often leads to burnout. Let go of the belief that every single thing you do needs to be perfect or meaningful. Some days, resting or spending time on hobbies is just as valuable as achieving major milestones. Remind yourself that it’s OK to have slower days and your worth isn’t tied to constant productivity.

4. Limit time-checking behaviors

Checking the time compulsively can make anxiety worse by reinforcing the feeling that you’re running out of it. Instead of looking at the clock every few minutes, try setting specific times during the day to review your schedule. 

This small change can help you focus on the task at hand rather than constantly worrying about how much time has passed. This is especially important if these time-checking behaviors are OCD compulsions for you.

5. Reflect on your values

When you’re caught up in the pressure of time anxiety, it can help to step back and think about what truly matters to you. Are you spending your time in ways that align with your values and goals? Reflecting on these questions can give you a sense of direction and help you let go of unnecessary worries about time. 

By focusing on what feels meaningful, you can feel more fulfilled and satisfied about how you’re spending your time.

6. Get therapy

If your time anxiety is related to a mental health condition, like OCD or a neurodevelopmental disorder (like autism or ADHD), therapy can help. Most mental health conditions require treatment. 

Without treatment, your symptoms may become more distressing and may even start to become debilitating to your life and functioning. Working with a therapist can help you identify the root causes of your time anxiety and learn new skills to cope with it.

Find care with Rula

While common, time anxiety can get in the way of being truly present and enjoying your life. Whether your time anxiety is a symptom of an underlying mental health condition or not, you deserve support. A therapist can help you examine the root causes of your anxiety around time, let go of perfectionist tendencies, and live your life to the fullest.

At Rula, you can see a therapist online as soon as tomorrow. We have a network of over 80,000 therapists with a wide range of clinical specialties, including all types of anxiety.

Get started with Rula today