You know what drives me crazy? This whole “squeezing things in” mentality we’ve all gotten sucked into. As author Oliver Burkeman told me on a recent podcast, we’ve somehow convinced ourselves “it’s a sensible thing to do… to try to fit more and more things into our schedule.” But here’s the reality check: time isn’t some magical stretchy thing we can keep pulling and pulling.
Let me tell you a story that perfectly illustrates this madness.
A few weeks back, my wife had this minor medical procedure scheduled. Nothing major, but still, its medical stuff, right? We had it on the calendar for months. 10 AM, all set. Then, out of the blue, at 7:30 AM on the day of the procedure, we get this call. The doctor’s office is asking if my wife can come in ASAP because the doc has some “personal commitment” later.
So there we are, scrambling to get ready. My wife’s rushing through her morning routine, and we make it to the office by 9:10. They hustle her into a room, and I plop down in the waiting area. A few minutes later, she comes out with that all-too-familiar “not happy” face. The procedure’s cancelled. Why? The doctor left.
When I asked for an explanation, the staff said—and this is the kicker—they were trying to “squeeze in” the procedure before the doctor’s other commitments. There’s that phrase again. “Squeeze in.” Like my wife’s health is just some little errand to run between lunch and picking up dry cleaning.
As Oliver points out, this approach is “a recipe for disaster.” Why? Because “you’re never going to get to the point where you feel on top of all the things.” That doctor who left? They’ll never reach this “wonderful golden plateau of now there’s time for everything.” It’s a myth we keep chasing, and it’s making us all miserable.
According to the American Psychological Association’s annual “Stress in America” report, time management stress is a common source of anxiety, with many of us reporting that we feel we have too many responsibilities or tasks to manage effectively. A study in the “Journal of Occupational Health Psychology” found that folks who consistently work under time pressure report higher stress levels and more health complaints.
But here’s what really bugs me: this is happening in healthcare. You know, that field where attention to detail can literally be a matter of life and death? Research from Johns Hopkins University says that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, with time constraints and rushed schedules cited as significant contributors.
Oliver suggests something radical yet simple: “What if we just accepted that there was always going to be too much to do? What would we choose to focus on then instead of trying to fit everything in?”
This hits at the heart of the matter. Instead of trying to squeeze more into our days, what if we started being more intentional about what deserves our time and attention?
For professionals, especially in fields like healthcare: focus on quality over quantity. Your patients (or clients) deserve your full attention. And trust me, you’ll probably be happier too. Less burnout, better work—win-win.
For the rest of us? Let’s start standing up for ourselves. When someone tries to “squeeze you in,” maybe think twice about it. Is it really worth the stress and potential for things to go wrong? Sometimes, sure. But not always.
Moving Forward
The next time you find yourself trying to squeeze just one more thing into your day, take a step back. Ask yourself:
Look, I get it. We’re all trying to juggle a million things at once. But as Oliver reminds us, trying to fit everything in is “never happening.” Some things just shouldn’t be squeezed. Some things deserve time, attention, and respect.
Your stress levels (and the people around you) will thank you for making this shift. Because at the end of the day, life isn’t about how much we can squeeze in—it’s about what we choose to give our time to.
