Busyness feels good doesn’t it?

We make long lists of to-do lists, run around like crazy people, constantly in motion and we feel good.  Think of how it feels to check off items on our to-do list. Even when we are still adding to the list it feels fantastic to keep moving and be busy.

How did being busy become the new norm?  

Think about how often you judge someone else as a slacker because they aren’t as busy as you.  How often do you get to use busyness as an excuse for forgetting things, missing deadlines and avoid things or get to say no (especially to things you don’t really want to do anyhow)?

There’s almost a status attached to being busy.  It makes us feel important. Whether we say it out loud or even to ourselves being busy means we are important to lots of people, for lots of things.  

I myself was, and still, am busy.

The difference between no and 5 or 10 years ago is that being busy doesn’t feel the same to me.  I still have a lot on my plate, a business to run, family, household, volunteer work, lots of hobbies, and more, and today it is simply a part of my life.  I do feel good when I check things off my list.

 

The difference is that that item could have been on my list for 3 or even 6 months.  Years ago that would have stressed me out. Now I am able to shrug my shoulders and realize that what I am doing is what I want to do, and when that item becomes important to me to handle I will.

Here’s the problem with busyness.  First, while we likely get adrenaline from being busy, it really isn’t that much fun.  But more importantly, it’s not good for us…physically, mentally, creatively, emotionally or any other way.

Think about a time you felt exhausted because you were so busy.  You weren’t and couldn’t be at your best. Studies show that performance and productivity decrease when people haven’t had enough rest and are depleted.

Often our best thinking, our creative thinking or problem-solving ideas come when we are still.  I’m not talking about meditation, I’m talking about stargazing. Time spent simply enjoying nature, looking out a window, taking a walk for the sheer enjoyment of it…you know those activities we consider a sin because we aren’t busy.

What does all this mean?  It means stop being so busy.  Take some time if not every day, every week to just be.  You, and everyone around you will benefit from you doing nothing.

We think being busy makes us more productive when the opposite is true.  There are costs to being a workaholic.  

Find out what they are by downloading ‘The Cost of Being a Workaholic.‘