Are we too Busy to Enjoy Life?
“People expect us to be busy, overworked. It’s become a status symbol in our society – if we’re busy, we are important; if we’re not busy, we’re almost embarrassed to admit it. Busyness is where we get our security. It’s validating, popular, and pleasing. It’s also a good excuse for not dealing with the first things in our lives.” (Covey et. al, 1994).”
I found this to be an interesting quote. Sometimes we need to really examine why we need to be so busy. Sometimes we keep ourselves busy to avoid the emptiness in our lives. Other times, we’ve been “trained” from an early age that slowing down and taking time for ourselves is called “laziness”. What is it about being still that makes people uncomfortable?
A quick internet searched revealed topics such as “How to handle a break up by keeping busy” or “How to keep busy between jobs”. It seems that keeping yourself busy can be a way to avoid your emotions. But why do we need to keep busy to avoid our emotions? Negative emotions while unpleasant are a normal part of life. And yes while break ups are unpleasant it is an opportunity for self reflection and personal growth. The second article seemed to suggest that we only value those who are productive. And people must remain productive at all costs. But sometimes the reality is there are no jobs between the jobs you really want.
Stephen Covey really hits the nail on the head when he states being busy has “become a status symbol in our society.” We need to step back and assess what is really important to us. Are you really important because you stay busy? How do people value you…. for who you are? Or for what you do for them? There is a significant difference between being valued because you DO things for others versus being valued for YOU as a PERSON.
Take the time to sit back and examine your life. Are you busy to enjoy life? What exactly are you doing which keeps you busy? Are you busy so you avoid being with people? Are you busy because there are many activities or events you choose to do for your own pleasure? Or are you busy because this is expected or demanded from you? Maybe it’s time to sit back and watch the merry go round go by?
