Being busy is a cycle that we all get sucked into. It often happens without us even realizing it’s happening. Before we know it, we’re lost in schedules, doing things, to-do lists, and filling every minute. Sometimes being busy is a state of being for a period of time; it starts then stops. Other times it becomes a way of life.
If you find yourself saying “I’m so busy,” if you don’t have time for even a moment of stillness, or if you are constantly distracted, you’ve most likely been sicked into the vortex of busyness. You may be tired, overwhelmed, over commited, and generally feeling d-o-n-e.
If you’re tired of the vicious cycle of busyness, good. Now it’s time to do something. (Unless you like all this “blah”. Then keep it up!)
Stopping the cycle of busy-ness is not easy.
It is, however, worth the effort.
Start by asking yourself a few key questions – and answering them honestly.
- What am I doing that does not serve me?
This could be little things or big things or in-between things. Do you need to spend hours cleaning the house or can you divide and conquer with your family. Does your house have to be spotless or is tidy good enough?
- What would happen if I stopped doing the things that do not serve me?
Sure, you can’t just stop doing things like a job or the laundry. Pay cheques and clean underwear are important. But you can identify little things/stresses that you can delete from your day to make it less crazy. Write them down and asses which you can trim. Then, eliminate! Test it out first if quitting cold turkey seems hard.
- The big questions: Why am I doing this in the first place? Why do I do all that I do? Why do I do so much?
Does what you’re doing actually need to get done or are you finding things to distract you from what is going in inside you? Are you doing things for recognition or so others think you’re important? Are you getting your value from doing things for others? Are you distracting yourself from things going on with you?
- What are you hiding by being busy?
When you’re stressed, can you feel it in your body (clenched jaw, tension in your back, etc.)? If your body is showing signs of stress, you’re covering up an elephant.
I spent many years lost in being busy so I didn’t have to deal with loss and grief. I piled on the busy, so I could avoid the tears and heartache. If you are having a physical reaction to being busy, it’s time to face the elephant head on. Something is going on inside. It is not easy to identify what drives us to choosing “busy”, but it is necessary to do the work and dig.
Remember: There is so much more to life than doing. Make time for you and be present with your family and friends. Doing more does NOT mean being more.