How much time do you spend in day-tight compartments?

Before I go on, I should probably explain what a day-tight compartment is. Of course, if you already know, feel free to read on.

A day-tight compartment is a phrase coined by Sir William Osler in the 1800s and is best described by the British philosopher Thomas Carlyle, “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance but to do what lies clearly at hand.” Perhaps said more simply, live or focus on today, not what you think might happen tomorrow.

If you ever struggled with anxiety, you know that it can almost become paralyzing at times, to the point where you don’t know what to do next. Anxiety also tends to amplify your perception of future scenarios, and you might find yourself continuously asking yourself what else could go wrong?

Osler began thinking about day-tight compartments to alleviate his constant anxiety and stress about what might happen in the future. He began to focus his attention on the day at hand and living it to its full potential.

I understand that transitioning from worrying about the future to focusing on today can sound like a difficult task, but with practice, it’s possible. And if you can’t do it all the time, at least if you manage to accomplish it some of the time, you could turn down the heat on your anxiety from a rolling boil to a slow simmer.

Let me be clear that not thinking about tomorrow doesn’t mean eliminating the idea of goal setting or planning for the future. It means once you set goals or make plans, then shift your focus to what you can do today and only today – in the day-tight compartment.

So, begin to learn to day-tight compartmentalize your days. Tamp down your anxiety by shifting your focus from what you think might happen in the future to what you can accomplish today.

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