Step onto any street, scroll through any phone, or sit in any office, and one thing becomes clear: everyone is in a rush. From honking the moment a traffic signal changes to expecting instant replies, modern life seems governed by one unwritten rule — faster is always better.
Technology lies at the heart of this urgency. Smartphones, social media and instant communication have collapsed time and distance. A message that once took days now takes seconds. it has also created an invisible pressure to respond, react and deliver immediately While this has made life efficient. Convenience has quietly transformed into impatience. Waiting, once accepted as part of life, is now treated almost like failure.
The rise of “quick commerce” reflects this mindset perfectly — groceries in 10 minutes, meals in minutes and same-day deliveries becoming normal expectations.
The workplace has changed too. Hybrid work and digital connectivity have erased the boundary between office and home. Many professionals feel compelled to remain constantly available, replying to emails late at night or attending virtual meetings across time zones. Technology promised freedom, yet it has also created what psychologists describe as the “always-on society. Even cities once known for calmness are changing. Chandigarh, admired for its planned sectors, wide roads and measured pace of life, was once associated with balance and order. During my nine years in the Chandigarh administration, first as deputy commissioner and later as home secretary, there was pressure and urgency in governance, but there was also room for reflection. Decisions were expected to be careful, not merely quick. The city’s physical structure remains planned, but the human pace within it is becoming increasingly hurried.
Today, however, one notices increasing impatience at intersections, congestion in markets like Sector 17, and growing incidents of road rage.
Competition is another major driver of haste. Students rush from one coaching class to another. Professionals chase deadlines and targets. Social media has intensified the fear of missing out, where people constantly compare their achievements and lifestyles with others. This culture of hurry comes at a serious cost. Stress, anxiety, burnout and digital fatigue have become common, especially among young professionals. Families often sit together physically while remaining mentally absorbed in separate screens. Attention spans are shrinking, conversations are becoming shorter, and even public discourse increasingly values instant reactions over thoughtful judgment. In public administration too, I often observed that rushed decisions created larger complications later. Some of the most difficult situations were resolved not through an instant reaction but through calm assessment and restraint. Governance, like life, suffers when speed replaces thoughtfulness. The solution does not lie in rejecting technology or ambition. Progress and efficiency matter, but balance matters even more. Individuals must create boundaries, protect personal time and recognise that not every message demands an immediate response. Workplaces must stop glorifying exhaustion as success. Society itself must learn to value patience, reflection, and meaningful human interaction as much as speed. During my years in administration and behavioural training, I often found that many conflicts could be diffused simply by following the rule STOPP — Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Pull Back, and Proceed thoughtfully. The loss of this pause between stimulus and response is perhaps the real crisis of modern life. Sometimes, slowing down is not falling behind; it is regaining direction. In a world constantly telling us to hurry, perhaps true wisdom lies in knowing when not to. [email protected] (The writer, a retired IAS officer, served as home secretary & deputy commissioner of UT)
Success today is often measured not only by achievement, but by speed.
