The Glorification of “Busy”

I’ve been trying to “unlearn” and reframe the way I was taught to see life. Being constantly reminded of not reaching certain milestones at a certain age has sent me into a self-deprecating pit. I’m attempting to shovel my way out by debunking societal myths. Thus has led to my accumulating “mindful memos.” This one is about the glorification of “busy.”
_______________________________________
Our society just loves to glorify being busy, doesn’t it? Somewhere down the line we decided being busy means working harder which means being more successful. Working late nights; overtime; at the crack of dawn, and being stressed out must mean we take our work more seriously. Our devotion and ambition isn’t questioned. No wonder burn out is a constant companion for many of us. 

But let’s fast forward. Looking back on your life, what will invoke more happiness: the draining hours you put into the office or the times you took to be present and experience fully? We’re in such a rush to reach a certain goal by a certain time but how often do we take the time to relish the moment before we move on to the next great endeavor? There’s no question that hard work has its merit but there has to be a balance, a happy medium. Otherwise, what was all that hard work even for? Let’s stop denying ourselves that much needed R&R.  

If that’s not enough to convince you to prioritize rest, think about productivity. If a basketball player spends no time on the side lines, they’ll get exhausted. They won’t perform at their optimum level. Rest is integral. 

I would love that when someone asks how we are, we don’t feel the need to express that we’re “okay but so stressed out,” for validation. It’s okay to not be stressed out. It’s okay to not be busy. We should not need to feel guilty for being in a mentally and physically healthy state.

Maybe we’re afraid of missing out. Maybe we’re afraid of not being able to support ourselves financially. Maybe we feel guilty for taking time for ourselves when “everyone else” seems so busy. Maybe taking on multiple projects makes us feel needed.
Not only will not embracing rest and succumbing to pressure result in emotions like sadness and resentment, but we’re taking quite the toll on our bodies. We’re literally taking years off our lives.

What if, instead, we redefine what it means to be successful? To stop competing with each other over who’s busiest? What if we stop wearing stress as a badge of honor? What if we actually let ourselves relish in the quiet moments? What if…