“Dan, you’ve been in the office since early this morning, do you want to go for a walk?”
“I’d love to but I’m too busy.”
“I’ve got supper ready. Can you stop for a few minutes to eat with me?”
“Thanks Carol but, I’d better not. I’m too busy.”
“Dan, its 11:30. Are you going to quit for the day and get some rest?”
“I’m busy right now. I’ll finish this first.”
Busy. Do you use that word?
It seems that many people choose to wear the “busy” word as a badge of honour as if it indicates productiveness, worthiness, and success.
My perception is that the “busy” word is the curse of the new millennium. “Busy” is a thought-choice. When we verbalize the thought by saying, “I am busy”, it reaffirms the thought, magnifies it in our mind, and proves to us that we are busy. “Busy” creates physiological reactions in our body. Our muscles become tense; we lose focus, become irritable, and may experience anger. “Busy” causes great stress and the result is the common cold, headaches, heartaches, and dis-ease.
Common Cold
I’m not talking about the sniffles and coughing. The common cold I refer to is our habitual lack of attention to and compassion toward others – we are cold to them. Because we are so “busy”, we don’t take the time to listen to others. We assume we know what they are thinking and make judgements based upon our assumptions. The common cold eventually destroys relationships.
Headaches
When we convince ourselves that we are “busy”, our head begins to swim with confusion and yes, it may even hurt. We think we have so much to do and not nearly enough time. We attempt to multi-task, which is physically impossible. We can do only one thing at a time. When we choose to be “busy”, we bounce back and forth between duties and projects and none of them are completed. Or they are not done well.
Heartaches
“Busy”-ness often leads to neglect, resentment, and apathy toward others, and especially to those closest to us – our life partners, children, family, and friends. We tend to not treat them in a loving, caring way because we are too “busy”. They may think you are a pain in the butt. That may be true and hearts ache and are being broken.
Dis-ease
Ease is a state of effortlessness and simplicity. In the state of ease, we experience love, joy, and happiness. “Busy”-ness creates dis-ease (lack of ease), and a state of hard work, struggle, and difficulty. In this state, we experience hurt, anger, fear, and sorrow.
With these things in mind, do you still want to be busy?
As usual, I have a challenge for you, if you choose to accept it. Don’t get your shorts in a knot; there are only two things.
1. Give yourself a “busy-ectomy”. Eliminate the word “busy” from your vocabulary (mentally and orally). Every time the “busy” thought enters your mind, or you start to say it, stop yourself. Instead say things like, “I’ve got some great projects on the go” or “I’m really enjoying the challenges in front of me” or “I have ample time to do the things I need to do”.
2. Consciously notice the changes in how you feel, think, and act.
If you think you’re too “busy” to accept my challenge, change your mind. Just as you chose to be “busy”, you can choose something else. If nothing else, notice how often the word “busy” is used by people around you, and be aware of how it affects them.
In the past, I was so “busy” making a living that I didn’t take time for a life. Since I eliminated “busy”, I am more focused, at ease, and productive. I find that I have oodles more fun making a living and having a life. I experience great pleasure, joy, and happiness in everything I do. Yup, everything. It is a choice I make.
