Think Better: Want Clear Thinking? Relax; October 2005; Scientific American Mind; by Charmaine Liebertz; 2 Page(s)

Day in, day out, people believe they can win their headlong race against time by maintaining an excessively hectic pace. As soon as they wake each morning, the same questions plague their minds: "What do I have to accomplish today? How do I get it all done as quickly as possible?" The term "relaxation" is practically a dirty word.

At some point, such driven people are likely to hit the wall. Their built-up tensions will be unleashed on some unfortunate, unsuspecting person. Or they will find themselves in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer or heart palpitations. At a minimum, they will become less effective thinkers, defeating their very ability to accomplish mental tasks. Constant scrambling and extreme workloads may bring success short term, but the long-term, negative effects are serious.