I don’t know about you but I feel like time isn’t just rushing by. I feel like it’s vaporising! Phone calls that seem like 5 minutes literally are actually an hour or more long. I sit down at my desk at 8am and suddenly it’s 1pm! This seems to be a contributing factor to the epidemic of busyness!
When someone asks you, How are you? It’s almost a badge of honor to say I’m so busy! We feel it makes us sound important, valuable and that we are doing something worthwhile!
It often means we are lost in incompletion and feeling overwhelmed! Starting one task then realizing there was something else to do then starting that and continuing with that pattern until you forgot what you were doing originally. It is a pattern I seem to have made an art form!
Science shows us that no one can multitask and be really effective! No matter what you tell yourself. Multitasking impacts your capacity to focus which impacts your productivity and the effectiveness of everything you are doing (Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtsteinhorst/2024/01/23/the-fallacy-of-time-management-why-its-time-to-rethink-productivity/).
In life part 1 of my journey, several millenia ago it seems, I was a physiotherapist working in ergonomics and I co-authored a book called “Pause Gymnastics”, back in the day when it was a new concept.
The revolutionary idea at the time now proven (https://hbr.org/2023/05/how-to-take-better-breaks-at-work-according-to-research) was that taking regular short breaks from a task actually improved productivity and reduced injuries.
The same strategy can be applied to life today. Not just work life. Busyness is contributing to constant sense of anxiety and stress that seems endemic (Verywellmind: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-the-glorification-of-busyness-impacts-our-well-being-4175360)
We are busy juggling work, life, families, aging parents, anxious children and more mental health issues at work. Work life balance has gone out the window! Now it’s just 'life balance' with work an integral part.
The last 18 months, I have moved country, and lived in 3 different cities before buying a house, moving in and finding my feet in a place where I knew two people and had never lived. It was an enormous growth opportunity! If I am being positive.
In reality, I have allowed myself to feel constantly overwhelmed! I seem to have so many list’s and things to do and bits of paper - and stuff to find out and electronic lists too - reminding me what else I need to do everywhere. Oh and add re-establishing myself as a speaker after 10 years away to that list of things to do. I was busy from the moment I woke up to the minute I fell exhausted into bed, feeling anxious and stressed. And I woke up the same way.
I found myself spinning into stress, triggered by all the lists, thoughts and everything I looked at….and the work to be done.
I was not living nor was I achieving a great deal and I knew better!! But I’m giving myself some grace as it’s a great kindness strategy for all of us. Being unkind to ourselves and others is never a great strategy for joy.
The busyness trap is where we lose sight of what we are really doing - to ourselves. And of who we really are. We are human beings not human doings as I’m sure you have heard many times!
The antidote to busyness (which is doing stuff) is to be!
Be still.
Breathe.
Be in your heart and breathe.
Be kind.
Being still connects you with your heart, with your self and gives you time to reflect, restore and recharge so you are more creative, productive, effective and most importantly joyful.
The concept of being still seems somehow tainted with guilt. The guilt really kicks in when we actually stop and are still! Our minds start running out of control scrolling through all the jobs to be done that you could be doing instead of sitting there, doing 'nothing'! In reality, we are 'doing' a lot in the stillness - we are reconnecting to ourselves and what matters. And calming down, so we can be more effective once we start doing again!
Stillness. Know yourself. Find yourself.
Tap into your inner wisdom and knowing. What is it saying?
Stillness gives you silence, space and awareness.
Observe thoughts and just allow them to be.
Breathe. Release the tension.
Appreciate and savour nature.
Focus on and tune into your heart. Listen to its wisdom and avoid being distracted by your thoughts. Control them rather than letting them control you.
Recognizing our addiction to busyness is the first step.
Second is to make the decision to stop it!
Third is to commit to being still each day. Just for a few minutes - 10 if you can.
Make it a ritual or routine. Find a spot in nature. Or the garden. Or out a window.
Of if you want to meditate do that - but just being still works.
In the stillness, ask your heart what it/you need in this moment.
You can take mini stillness breaks by dropping to your heart for 2-5 minutes. It changes everything. Stress falls away. Intelligence returns. Wisdom emerges. Innovation and creativity kick in. And best of all you are more joyful during day and not exhausted at the end of the day.
Another Busyness Trap Buster is realistically prioritizing. Amalgamating your lists (crossing a thing off a list gives you a hit of dopamine). Give self permission to stop; to rest; to breath; to be still.
Being still is the secret weapon of success. And productivity.
Be kind to yourself. We all know we are our own worst critic! When it would be much more valuable and productive for us to be kind to ourselves. Harsh self criticism rarely motivates us to be our best - let alone do our best.
Give yourself the gift of space to be still, connect with your heart, be gentle and kind to yourself and see how much more productive and happier you are.
Sending you hugs and... Zooties
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