Are You A Crazy Busy Addict?
How many times have you heard variations on this conversation?
Person A: How’s it going?
Person B: I’m insanely busy. You know, the usual.
Person A: Yeah, me too. Well, let’s just be grateful for being busy, right?
Person B: Right!
It seems to me that too many of us wear busyness as a badge of honor. I’m busy, therefore I’m important and valuable, therefore I’m worthy. And if I’m not busy, forget it. I’m not good enough.
Recently, I got temporarily laid-off from work due to Covid. So I have a lot of days on my calendar labeled “Open days,” which basically means I’m free to do ... whatever.
I’ve been given a lot of downtime. And downtime leaves me uncomfortable.
Before the pandemic, I had planned a 2-week trip to Florida for a training and another 2 weeks off work in Vancouver for another training, my whole month of April was blocked out for trainings and workshops and then they all got cancelled.
When my calendar freed up and I wasn’t working anymore, I had loads of free time to sit and be with myself. And I guess you could say I was uncomfortable with the downtime.
In Daring Grately from Brenee Brown clarifies the business addiction by saying, “One of the most universal numbing strategies is what I call crazy-busy’’
As a culture, we shame people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, but somehow we’ve normalized—we even praise—busyness addiction.
But are we really doing ourselves any favors by staying so busy?
Now that I suddenly have more downtime, I find myself faced with the time to reflect upon my life. And facing my life isn’t always so pretty.
FACING THE TRUTH
When I get off the hamster wheel of busyness, I’m forced to notice what comes up for me when I’m not busy.
What's left in the silence are the things I don’t necessarily want to look at:
My fear of not succeeding.
Or how uncomfortable I am with feelings of boredom.
Or how afraid I am of being ordinary.
Be honest with yourself: What might you be hiding behind your “to do” list? How might you care for and feed your spirit more so you’re not so inclined to fill the void with busyness?