Because it’s not healthy to feel such urgency all the time

When we were hunter-gatherers on the African savannah, we felt a sense of urgency some of the time.

When food was scarce, we needed to find more, urgently, before we died of starvation.

When water was scarce, we needed to find more, even more urgently, before we died of thirst.

There were times, though, when there was nothing to do except share the fruit we’d gathered and the animals we’d killed, and lie in the African sun.

Even when we were farmers who had made the dubious decision to settle down and grow crops, we felt a sense of urgency only some of the time.

When the harvest had to be brought in, we needed to bring it in, urgently, before the weather destroyed the crop.

When raiders threatened our fields and our villages, we needed to mount a defence, even more urgently, before the attackers destroyed everything we’d worked for.

There were times, though, when there was nothing to do except share the bread we’d baked and the beer we’d brewed, and stoke the fire.

In your job you feel a sense of urgency all the time.

There’s not a day you don’t feel overwhelmed by the weight of the tasks you’re expected to do.

It’s not healthy.