Post # 57 - Working Without Urgency: What I’m Learning About Sustainable Pace

Posted under: Career & Purpose | The Full Life Edit

For a long time, I believed urgency was a sign of importance. If something felt rushed, tight, or stressful, I assumed it must matter. My days were driven by deadlines, notifications, and the constant feeling that I needed to move faster to stay relevant.

But over time, urgency stopped feeling motivating — it started feeling exhausting. Somewhere between burnout and reflection, I began to question whether constant urgency was actually helping me do better work, or just wearing me down.

What I’m learning now is this: a sustainable pace creates better results than constant urgency ever did.

🌿 How Urgency Became the Default

Urgency sneaks into our work lives quietly. It disguises itself as productivity and ambition. Emails marked “ASAP.” Meetings scheduled back-to-back. Tasks framed as emergencies when they’re really just poorly planned.

I absorbed the idea that being busy meant being valuable. If I slowed down, I worried I’d fall behind or disappoint someone. So I rushed — even when rushing wasn’t necessary.

The result?

• Shallow focus
• Reactive decisions
• Creativity squeezed out by pressure
• A constant low-level stress that followed me home

Urgency became the background noise of my days.

✨ The Moment I Started Questioning It

The turning point wasn’t dramatic. It was subtle. I noticed that the work I felt proudest of was rarely done in a rush. It was done during focused, calm stretches where I had time to think, revise, and reflect.

Meanwhile, urgent tasks often felt frantic — completed quickly, then forgotten. I started asking myself: What if urgency isn’t a requirement for meaningful work?

That question changed everything.

🌱 What a Sustainable Pace Looks Like

Working without urgency doesn’t mean working slowly all the time. It means working intentionally. For me, a sustainable pace includes:

• Clear priorities instead of endless to-do lists
• Realistic timelines that allow for quality
• Breaks that prevent burnout before it starts
• Space for thinking, not just doing

At a sustainable pace, work feels steady instead of frantic. I’m no longer reacting to everything at once — I’m choosing where my energy goes.

🧠 What I’ve Learned by Slowing Down

1. Urgency Isn’t the Same as Importance
   Many urgent tasks are loud but low-impact. Important work is often quiet and requires patience.
2. Quality Improves When Pressure Decreases
   When I give myself time, my ideas deepen, my decisions improve, and mistakes decrease.
3. Boundaries Create Calm
   Saying no to false urgency — unnecessary meetings, unrealistic deadlines — protects my focus and wellbeing.
4. Energy Is a Resource
   I no longer treat my energy as unlimited. I plan my work around when I think best, not just when I’m available.

🌸 Letting Go of the Guilt

One of the hardest parts of slowing down was releasing the guilt. I worried that working at a sustainable pace meant I wasn’t doing enough.

But the opposite turned out to be true. When I stopped rushing:

• I finished tasks more efficiently
• I felt more confident in my work
• I had energy left at the end of the day
• I stopped measuring my worth by how busy I looked

Working without urgency didn’t make me less committed — it made me more intentional.

🌿 How I Practice This Daily

Here are a few ways I’m unlearning urgency:

• I pause before reacting. Not every message needs an immediate response.
• I ask better questions. “When is this truly needed?” changes everything.
• I plan fewer tasks per day. Completing three meaningful tasks beats half-finishing ten.
• I protect focus time. Deep work thrives without constant interruption.

These practices aren’t rigid rules — they’re reminders that calm can coexist with productivity.

🌱 A Gentle Invitation

If work feels constantly rushed, consider experimenting with a sustainable pace. Start small. Question urgency. Create space to think.

Ask yourself:

• What actually needs immediate attention?
• What could be done more thoughtfully with time?
• Where can I slow down without sacrificing quality?

Because work doesn’t have to feel like a race to be meaningful. Sometimes, the most powerful shift is choosing steadiness over speed — and building a pace you can actually live with.

💬 Tell me: Do you feel pressured to work urgently, even when it’s not necessary? What would a more sustainable pace look like for you? Share in the comments — I’d love to hear your experience.

– M.E