Have you been ‘unbusy’ lately?
Get to define ‘being busy’ on your terms, in order to manage your business.
‘How are you?’ I asked. ’I am so busy!’ She answered.
How do you respond to this? You may empathically acknowledge that person's business. Or perhaps feel obliged to summarize your wellbeing by answering the same way: ‘Yes, me too!’
By doing so, I believe, so you uphold society’s standard that it is fine to ‘be busy.’Do not get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being busy. Later on that. But let’s first take a step back:
What does the word busy actually means?
Not looking in the dictionary, for me it means being in a rush. Going from one task to another without catching some fresh air in between. From meeting to meeting, from emails to article writing in a busy commuter train.
How do you define busy for yourself?
I remember a colleague who thrived on business. Planning one meeting after another without giving herself a real break. We worked the same hours and yet it felt as if she got more done than I did. Seeing someone being busy did not inspire me to work the same pace. Perhaps it does for you.
As for me it made me feel insecure. Was I the right person doing this particular job? I genuinely felt I was doing something wrong. My way of working busy was wrapping up a previous meeting, writing some notes and calls for action. Then I took a little break. A walk (and not run!) to the toilet. Get a glass of water. Oh, that water bottle on your desk is the worst invention as it makes you lazy to walk!
Looking back, we were both busy in our own, unique working style. And I only did my best to preserve my sanity.
Who told you to be so busy?
In a nutshell I think it is a mixture of your inner drive, your energy levels, your tasks combined with the pressure that is put on you from the outside world. There is nothing wrong with being busy. In fact if you take it from the positive side when you are able to give your undivided attention to that one task. The energy sucking busy tasks, are the one to worry about. As someone shared with me this week: you know, it has been so busy. I cannot even think beyond getting through today or even tomorrow.
Last time I asked: if today is your last day alive, what will you do?
This weeks Substack topic is actually connected to this question. In the peak of your busy moment you need to ask yourself if this task will be worthwhile to remember as ‘the most important thing I ever did in my life.’
Let’s play a game with words!
What is the opposite of busy? It is: unbusy. Meaning not busy or not full of activity. I like that! It does not mean you do not do anything at all. You just take on things in smaller and tangible portions.
Let’s start with the energy sucking tasks. To put it in short:
BUSY + BUSIER = BURDENED
Once you uncover for yourself the busy tasks in your life that makes it feel as a burden, add on the next part:
BUSY + BREAK = UNBURDENED
I learnt in Finnish the word: jumppatauko meaning literally: jumping break. So plan in your calendar for yourself a break and jump! Catch a bit of (fresh) air. Anything that clears your mind in a few minutes.
Once that is untangled and integrated in your daily life you have reached the silver level!
BUSY + BREAK - UNBURDENED = UNBUSY!
But it does not stop here. This word game gets even more exciting!
For those who cannot stop, let's move on to the golden level.
Again: it is ok to be busy. As long as you keep following your own definition on business and not let others determine it for you. Once you accomplish that, then the busy issue you deal with shifts:
BUSY - BURDEN + UNBUSY = MEANINGFULLY UNBUSY!
Give meaningfully your attention, input, skills and expertise to the busy task. Knowing that when your task is finished you jump into A BREAK. Allowing yourself that precious moment of unbusiness.
The more you understand the meaningfulness of your activities, the energy deriving tasks will certainly not disappear. Over time, I have noticed, they have become less significant in my life. Because I realised that in the end, those burdenful, meaningless tasks are just part, but not determinants of my life.