Review: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
Image of book cover borrowed from ChristianBook.com
Generally speaking, I am not the giver of many 4 or 5-star book reviews. This is funny, because my first blog book reviews, including this one, have covered all of my 4 or 5-star favorites. My previous A+ review of Atomic Habits is moot, everyone has heard of it and knows it’s probably worth a glance even if you’re uninterested in habit hacking. Today’s review is a perhaps a lesser known title in the secular world, but I’ll venture to say, as gripping as Atomic Habits in the way that it calls out the obvious and challenges the most-accepted tenets of productivity and efficiency. My favorite element of this book is its thesis: “Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness as a root of much evil. Within the pages of this book, you'll find a compelling emotional and spiritual case against hurry and in favor of a slower, simpler way of life.”
Comer shares his own journey of burnout, which is relatable and his tone feels familiar. I appreciated the casual nature of his storytelling, it didn’t sound preachy or distant and I was eager to hear about how he turned things around. He explains a conversation with a mentor that sent him on the path to combating hurry. He was chasing edifying priorities, doing what was right and good, but came to learn, “…If the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy…both sin and busyness have the exact same effect—they cut off your connection to God, to other people, and even to your own soul,” and ultimately, “There is nothing else. Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”
Some of the measures Comer put in place to practice the elimination of hurry are simply healthy ways of living. Setting aside time for rest, for quiet time, distancing ourselves from technology and creating boundaries around it; none of these practices were eye-opening. They were logical steps to commanding your own time and energy as a form of self-preservation, safety, and ultimately, worship.