Often you proclaim loud and clear “not having time?“While this is an expression that many of us repeat mechanically, it is not simply linked to an overly busy schedule. It often reveals a deeper psychological exhaustion, linked to permanent mental overload and the impression of never really being able to breathe, according to Amélie Boukhobza, psychologist.
A sentence that hides great mental fatigue
“I don’t have time.“It’s a phrase that we can all say. No time to respond to a message. To call someone back. To exercise. To read. To sleep more. To see loved ones. To make an appointment. Or simply to breathe a little.
“And of course sometimes it’s true. The days are full. The constraints exist. The rhythms of life have become exhausting”, underlines Amélie Boukhobza. “Except that behind this banal phrase, there may also be something other than a simple organizational problem, she confides.“Because many people don’t just lack time: they especially lack psychological space.”
In other words, the problem is not always linked to the number of hours in a day, but to mental overload. The brain is constantly stressed here, even saturated – even in moments that are supposed to be calm.
“Too many things to think about, to anticipate, to manage, to remember. Obligations pile up, notifications too. We respond, we plan, we move on. Even when resting, the mind continues to spin”, underlines the expert.
Sleep is quickly disrupted
Because of this mental overload, ruminations quickly set in. Even in the evening, the mind continues to anticipate, to replay certain situations, to think about what remains to be done or what could go wrong… Result? Nights become fragmented and further accentuate fatigue and stress. And everything becomes an additional burden: even simple everyday things require considerable mental effort.
“And even things that are supposed to feel good! Exercising requires energy. Seeing friends too. Replying to a message can sometimes seem insurmountable…”, explains the practitioner.
“This is what psychological fatigue often is: a progressive saturation which, ultimately, can lead to burnout when it is not regulated.”
So we say: “I don’t have time.” Like an almost acceptable social alibi. More acceptable than saying: “I’m mentally exhausted“, “I can’t follow anymore“, “I no longer have internal availability“… This implies a flaw, a fragility.
“Being overwhelmed has become social proof”
Being constantly overwhelmed, even exhausted, has almost become the norm today. Isn’t work health? (And rest for the lazy?)
“There is something very contemporary about that. It must be said: we live at paces where slowing down becomes almost guilt-inducing. Being overwhelmed has become social proof. As if existing fully required being constantly busy. In activity. Otherwise, we risk being frowned upon…”, analyzes the expert.
Once again, beware of burn-out: fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, anxiety, feeling of suffocation… and many other signs.
“Because you can’t fill a life indefinitely without leaving room for yourself in the middle,” concludes Amélie Boukhobza.