Hands up if when someone asks you how you’re doing you reply with, “Busy”.
I bet every single hand is raised right now.
We wear “busy” as if it is a badge of honor. We talk about “busy” as though it’s something to be proud of. We let “busy” fill the void. We allow “busy” to get in the way of living.
Somewhere along the way, we start believing that if we’re not busy, and I mean, VERY busy, that something is wrong. We feel guilt when we’re not getting things done. We look at those around us who are doing big things and fall into a state of mind that tells us we can’t possibly keep up, but that if we just stay busy, if we keep hustling, we’re doing something right.
Without thinking, we let busy get in the way of some of the best things in life.
When you’re busy, you miss out on amazing opportunities. Because there’s no time for creative thought. No time for trying new things. No time for taking chances and coming up with brilliant ideas. Busy clutters our mind from thinking clearly and objectively about what we really want and probably should be doing.
When you’re busy, you can pretty much say so long to spontaneity. There’s no wiggle room. There’s barely room to breathe, much less room to really capture what the moments in front of us have to offer.
When you’re busy, it wains our your ability to form strong relationships. To sustain bonds. To celebrate. To build new connections. Whether it’s our family, friends, or clients, when we’re occupying all of our time with getting “stuff” done, we’re not making room to let anyone in.
So here’s to scheduling time to not be busy. To grabbing beers with friends. Going on a long run. Playing Xbox for a few hours without feeling guilty. Cooking dinner with your spouse. Writing. Playing. Learning. Loving. Living.
And here’s to taking my own advice to heart. Because a life constantly filled with “busy” isn’t really being lived.