Are you busy?

I've written before (including here and here) about busyness and how much it disturbs me that people use the word "busy" so often, often an excuse to get out of something they don't want to or because they want to fit in.

With that in mind, I was thrilled that someone came across this post and sent it to me because they knew I would love it (and I did...)

I agree with pretty much everything that the author writes in that article and would want to reinforce three things as important advice...

1. Don't wear busyness as a badge of honour.  If you're in a situation (work, friendship circle, church...) where you feel that you need to justify your busyness to fit in, I would suggest you either see it as an opportunity to show a new way of living that is much healthier (and, I would argue in line with God's values) or that you find a new situation.  Make the change before you wake up one day and realise you haven't had a chance to do most of what you really want to do because you were simply trying to please others.

2. Recognise that you make your own choices.  All of us have exactly the same amount of time each week and we all get to choose, in the main, how we spend that time (if you're in a job where you feel like you work too much, you can choose to find another job...)  If you're too "busy" to do the things you want to do, you need to be honest with yourself and your schedule, start saying no and cut back on the things you don't really want to do, to create time for the things you do.  I don't know of anyone who just sits around on their couch staring at the wall all day - again all of us feel busy, because we're occupying our time with something.  The question is whether you're happy with the priorities you are choosing and the way you're occupying your time...

3. Realise that much of the reason you feel busy is because of technology.  I'm convinced that more and more we feel like there's always something to do, because of 3 main areas that are all technologically related:

a) Email - most of us have these devices in our pockets that have red circles with numbers (or some variation) telling us how many people supposedly need our attention right now, some that even vibrate or make noises to get our attention.  However, once upon a time, back in the dark ages, people used to only reply to email when they were actually at work - I know - shocking, right?  Unless your job requires you to be on 24/7 (and I know there are some that do), you are allowed to turn your email off or even leave your phone in another room.  Try it sometime and see how many withdrawal symptoms you feel, fight through them and discover how much more free and relaxed you feel.  I turn the email off on my phone and computer on Thursday nights before my day off Friday and leave my phone on our hall table for most of Fridays.  It's incredibly liberating.

b)  Social Networking - be honest with yourself... how many times a day do you check facebook or twitter?  How many times do you have notifications popping up on your phone/computer that distract you from what you're supposed to be focusing on, therefore making you feel more busy?  It is ok to only check facebook, twitter, etc 1-2 times a day (at most...) - again, try it see if it makes you feel any different - there's definitely nothing urgent on there! 

c) TV - how many hours of TV have you watched this week?  And before you answer, I've heard lots of people say recently "I don't want TV any more" or "I don't even own a TV", yet they're incredibly up to date on what's happening on shows, sporting events, etc.  Please note... if you're watching TV on a computer, it's still watching TV...!  Even if you have a DVR so you can be more flexible, are you feeling pressure to watch shows so you can free up space on your hard drive, reinforcing the sense of busyness?    

Now don't get me wrong, there are times where my schedule is full and I love being productive (the reason my blog often doesn't get updated is because it's lower on my priority list than other things).  But for over 10 years now, I have not replied with "I'm busy" to anyone who asks how I'm doing or how my week has been.  I will say that I've had a full week or that there's lots happening in those seasons where there are a few more things clamouring for my attention, but even in those times I know I chose how to spend that week and normally there are at least 1 or 2 choices I could have made to free up time if I'd really wanted to.  I also have no trouble saying no to things, because I know where my priorities need to be and if something doesn't fit with those priorities, then I'm able to say "I'm sorry, but I won't be able to commit to that."

I'm growing more and more convinced that not only is it possible to get away from the scourge of busyness, but it's actually vital that we do for our own health and to show people that this is not the way we were designed to live and there is a better way.

How many times have I said "I'm busy" in the last week?  Why have I replied that way?
How happy am I with how I spend my time?  If I'm not, where can I make some different choices so I can do the things I want to do?
Are there ways in which technology is making me feel busier than I actually am?  If so, how can I change my use of it so that it's my servant, not my master?



PS If you want to chip in, we also have a conversation about this happening here on our Downtown facebook page