Let’s face it, we live in a culture that glorifies busyness. The business of busyness. It’s as if being busy is a badge of honor that we wear with pride. We fill our schedules to the brim with meetings, appointments, and endless to-do lists. But why? Are we really accomplishing anything or are we just spinning our wheels?
People love to show off their loaded schedules, as if being busy is a sign of success. They wear their busyness like a badge of honor, as if it’s something to be proud of. But here’s the thing, being busy doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being productive. It’s just a distraction from what’s really important.
First, let’s talk about why we feel the need to be busy all the time. One reason is that we live in a culture that values productivity and achievement. We’re constantly bombarded with messages that tell us we need to do more, be more, and achieve more. It’s no wonder that we feel the pressure to fill our schedules to the brim.
Another reason is that being busy can be a way to avoid uncomfortable feelings or situations. We don’t have time to sit with our thoughts or feelings if we’re constantly moving from one task to another. We don’t have to face the hard truths about our lives or confront difficult emotions.
The business of busyness at work
At work, we’re constantly bombarded with questions like “Are they keeping you busy?” as if being busy is the only way to measure our worth. But here’s the truth, being busy doesn’t mean you’re doing good work. It just means you’re filling your time with tasks that may or may not be important.
The fact is, being busy is often just a way to avoid doing the things that really matter. We fill our schedules with meaningless tasks to avoid the important ones that require more effort and focus. We use busyness as an excuse to avoid taking risks or pursuing our passions.
But here’s the thing, being busy doesn’t actually solve anything. It’s just a way to distract ourselves from the things that really matter. It’s a form of avoidance that keeps us from dealing with our problems or pursuing our passions.
One of my more unforgettable memories from my time in cubicle land was a conversation with a co-worker, a supervisor that was not my direct supervisor. She complained about her hectic Outlook schedule “So many meetings!” she almost screamed. To which I answered by asking “How many of those meetings did YOU call?”. She was speechless for once…
The problem
As Mr. Money Mustache has pointed out, busyness is just a form of laziness. It’s a way to avoid doing the hard work that leads to real success. When we’re constantly busy, we don’t have time to reflect on our priorities or think creatively about how to solve problems.
The truth is, busyness can actually be harmful to our well-being. When we’re constantly rushing from one thing to another, we don’t have time to rest or recharge. We become stressed, anxious, and exhausted. We may even experience burnout, which can lead to serious health problems.
El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta
Untranslatable (sorry!) Spanish saying
But here’s the thing, having a big backlog of things to do isn’t something to be proud of. It’s just a sign that you’re not managing your time effectively. A long to-do list doesn’t mean you’re being productive, it just means you’re procrastinating on the important tasks. After all, if you have a long list of things to do and you haven’t done them yet, and the world is still going round, then maybe they are not very important, no?
A solution?
The truth is, a simpler life is often a better life. When we simplify our schedules, we’re able to focus on the things that really matter. We’re able to pursue our passions, take risks, and make meaningful progress in our lives. We’re not just spinning our wheels, we’re actually making a difference.
So let’s stop pretending to be busy and start focusing on what’s really important. Let’s stop using busyness as an excuse for avoiding the hard work that leads to success. Let’s simplify our schedules and focus on the things that matter most.
In the end, less is often more. When we focus on what’s truly important, we’re able to achieve more than we ever thought possible. So let’s embrace simplicity and let go of the busyness holding us back. It’s time to live a life that’s truly fulfilling, not just one that looks good on paper.
If you found this remotely interesting you may be also interested in a related older post on Parkinson’s law. Thanks for making it this far!
What do you do to avoid the trap?
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