Considering Busyness

For years now, I have made a concerted effort, especially at work, to avoid the answer "I'm so busy" to the question "How is it going?". If you are alive and interact with others whom are alive, you know this is a common exchange. I surmise that most times, the answer, never mind the question, spills out before the speaker has even had time to think about it.

As Henry David Thoreau observed and asked, "It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?". From my perspective, the days are waning on what Brene Brown calls "wearing exhaustion as a status symbol". In decades past, being busy has equaled success. The harder you worked, the more often you worked, the more willing you were to sacrifice other aspects of your life for work, the more success you perceived to have had.

I think we're at a tipping point with this notion. At least, I am at a tipping point with this notion for myself. I refuse to feel guilty about prioritizing not feeling overwhelmed, overworked, out of balance, exhausted. This does not mean that the quantity or quality of my work suffers. In fact, it is the opposite. I have done, and continue to do, a lot of self-examination and self-evolution. For me, this has been the key. Modifying, changing or letting go of the qualities, beliefs, or actions that are getting in the way of me being my best self creates space for me to interact with the world differently and more authentically.

When I'm asked "How is it going?", more often than not, I respond, "Great, can't complain.". No one on the receiving end really cares about the answer. But I care. I am choosing to answer in a way that is positive, true to what I believe, expresses gratitude and puts in perspective all the things on my to-do list.

Some observations of the extremely 'busy' in the workplace over the years:
They always have time to tell you how busy they are.
They often aren't aware of how they are getting in their own way.
They regularly blame others for how busy/overwhelmed they are.
They don't have much to say after they say they are busy.
They perceive themselves as busy but in reality that doesn't necessarily equal productive.
Their lives are sometimes in disarray.

Well-being Tips:
Be aware of the language you use.
Change it if it is not authentic to you.
Consider how you might be getting in your own way with your language and actions.

Like Thoreau encourages... What are you busy about?