Are you hiding behind being busy?
It’s definitely in vogue these days to be busy, very busy. The assumption being it’s a good thing, a sign you are living a full life, that you are fulfilled, that you are not lonely. Socrates didn’t seem to agree. He said, “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” And he lived back in 450ish BC. I could be wrong, but I’m guessing people today dash around a lot faster than they did back in his time. Thoreau also addressed the subject, “It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?”
Honestly, I try to avoid using the word busy. It’s never felt like a word I wanted to use to describe my life. It’s full, exciting and dynamic, but not overloaded with busyness. I still have time to self-reflect and think about my choices. If you look up busy in Webster’s, definition #4 says, “Full of distracting detail.” That intrigues me. Does being busy distract you from living the life you want to lead? I’ve had acquaintances who described themselves as “busy” but didn’t seem to get anything out of the busyness or do anything they really wanted to do.
Sometimes I wonder if people get addicted to being busy, to never slowing down long enough to figure out where they are going and if it’s a place they want to go to. But hey, maybe I’m off the mark here, maybe it’s good to be busy doing something all the time.
Not sure if your life is busy or satisfying?
Try following yourself for a day. Write down everything you do, why you’re doing it and what you think would happen if you didn’t do it. Kind of a mini self-evaluation. Then cross check it with things you’d like to be doing. Do the lists match?
Muse thx,
Giulietta
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Amen to all this Giulietta! Thank you for saying this so powerfully.
This is so important …perhaps working with hospice patients has influenced this belief for me….to not be just busy,busy, busy in this world… But to first make sure we are of course, surviving with our basic needs and then to make the rest of time …every single day/hour count…. like instead of working at the computer…take a few hours to kick back and spend walking outdoors at the State Park someone special or that “everlovin” dog of yours whose tail never stops saying “I love this life and I love you!” …or at our kitchen table in the quiet calm of evening …writing or reading by music and candlelight (instead of listening to the whir of tv in other room).
We HAVE to seek food and shelter and some of us HAVE to care for others in our life…but there is not much else we really HAVE to do…a lot of our life is about choice still… even if our circumtances are difficult…it’s all we’ve got…so I’m cheering for you to keep getting this word out there Giulietta!
…and for all of us to consider how and who makes your life full and then…be there!
.
I agree with Cheryl; when we make ourselves too busy then we cannot be present for those who need us.
And with your exercise of writing down what you did and considering whether you really need to do it. A lot of us agree to do stuff people ask us to out of guilt or perceived obligation, at the expense of our livelihood and sanity. We have to learn how to say “no” more.
Cheryl,
Love what you say about dogs loving life and their owners. That stopped me in my blogging tracks. How often do we see people raving about their own lives? It’s usually complaining. Yet it’s our one and only life. This doesn’t make sense.
Sally, Another great point about being present for those who need us. Being constantly busy feels like an agitated state where we’re not in the past, present or future. Again, how does this happen without our consent?
Thx G.
I try to avoid being “busy.” A day with lots of unstructured time is the best kind of day in my book…Those who brag about their ability to multitask often come across with an air of self-importance, especially if they say this while talking on their bluetooth. UGH. I prefer the simple life and my goal is to truly lead a simple, uncluttered life one day.
Oh, I cam across your essay in Skirt magazine and loved it. That’s what brought me here. I’ve felt “stuck” for many years and it is time to start living my life free from the control of others and of the constraints that I have put on myself.
Keep shakin’ things up! Love your attitude 🙂
Of course, spell check is one thing that I should not eliminate – or I will continue to say that I “cam” 😉
Hi Carma,
Happy to hear you liked the Skirt! essay. Thx for the read. Congrats for taking the plunge into unstuck living! It’s the way to go …
G.