Being busy is worn like a status symbol which makes us feel wanted and worthy, the busier we are the worthier we feel.
We glorify being busy believing that we will only be noticed at work if we put in more hours and answer every message within seconds or that others will like us more if they see us constantly busy. We also keep ourselves busy in the hope that we will like ourselves if we constantly accomplish more today than yesterday. This can stem from reward systems as a child, such as a gold star for doing your homework or praise for excelling in the baseball match and being a member of every after school activity available. It can also come from being told you were not good enough or lazy as a child.
There are many reasons why we chose to be so busy, ask yourself these questions: Is it to look busy to impress others? Do you fear that people might think you are lazy if you are not busy all the time? Do you struggle to say no? Perhaps you just believe that life needs to be a never ending ‘not enough time’ struggle. Are you distracting yourself from an internal issue which really needs your attention? And then of course society tells us to keep hustling in order to succeed. The issue here is that if we value ourselves only on our successes and not on who we are as a person, we will eventually feel less worthwhile within ourselves. Sometimes being busy can become an escape, a way to avoid thinking about our shadows or the internal issues we need to work on. Which means we never get to do the important work of fixing ourselves within. Also burnout ... What about just switching off for a little while, just going slowly for a bit or just resting and doing nothing? What about actually doing this with absolute no guilt whatsoever. The benefits of rest are vast, it assists memory function, rejuvenates the body & mind, reduces stress, lowers inflammation & heart disease, boosts your immune system and gets your creativity flowing. Rest also gives you time to breathe, to go within and work on yourself in silence. With all the noise switched off, you can really tap into yourself and find out what makes you happy, what you need to change, what you are becoming and what you want to be. At first this silence can be deafening but with time you will be happy you have given yourself the space. Sit down and look at what you need to do right now, today, not tomorrow, but right now and focus your attention on that and nothing else. Love yourself enough to give yourself the regular rest you deserve. Sit in stillness and listen to your heart, I promise you that the benefits and possibilities will be rewarding.
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