Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Busy Being Busy

I used to use one word to describe myself. Busy.

That word doesn't actually tell people anything about me. No insight into my personality, my interests, my profession. But oh, how I loved that word. I got some strange high from being busy. I'd back as many things into a day as I could and the more I did each day, the better I felt about myself. The longer the check list, the more items crossed off the list, the more amazing I was. I relished in being busy, as if to do lists and chores made me super woman.



Looking at it now, being busy never actually made me happy. It was just another attempt to be that mythical super mom, an attempt that was making me stressed, worn down, and unable to fully participate or enjoy the things that actually mattered.

These days, I'm trying to pare down the being busy just for busyness sake. It's actually kind of hard.

If at the end of the day, if I haven't done something that feels "productive" I feel a little panicky. I can't have just spent a whole day reading a novel and watching Netflix with my kids. I must do something useful! So I'll rush to do a load of laundry, or clean off the bathroom counters, or tidy the kids' rooms. Just so I don't feel that the day has "been a waste."

Which is ridiculous, because I love reading and my boys love watching TV with me, snuggled up on our family room couch together. Those things are valuable, useful, and important.

So I'm working on not taking on too much, not adding more things to my schedule, just for the appearance of staying busy. I keep telling myself it's perfectly fine to not be busy.


That's not to be saying I won't doing projects. Hubster always despairs when I start a new project, such as reorganizing the photo gallery wall in the living room, or repainting my closet, or a big craft project with the kids. Because it's not like we don't have enough on our plates without me adding more things.  But I'm doing those things because I actually enjoy them, not just to keep busy.

I feel that this is a lesson that has taken me way too long to learn. That I don't need to be busy to be happy, or successful, or meaningful.  I just need to enjoy what I'm doing. I'm going to work on being involved, not being busy.

It's time to pick another word to describe myself.

6 comments:

  1. I love this post. I used to be the same way. Busy, busy, busy. And then I heard a talk in church that has stayed with me. One of the quotes from that talk is: "Isn’t it true that we often get so busy? And, sad to say, we even wear our busyness as a badge of honor, as though being busy, by itself, was an accomplishment or sign of a superior life." I now take so much more time doing things I want to do, rather than things I "have" to do. And I feel so much better because of it.

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    1. When people asked how I was doing, "Keeping busy" was my default answer. I'd rather say, "Oh, enjoying things. Taking it one day at a time." So that's what I'm doing.

      And that talk is exactly right - busy was important all by itself.

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  2. Good post! Definitely one to make you think about taking it slower and enjoying the moment! It's hard to believe it's already December, didn't we just turn over the New Year?

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    1. I always feel this way. The school year just started right?

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  3. I love your handwriting! This post is so true. We are force by society to be busy. If you aren't doing something every second of every day then you are doing something wrong. This is awful! Slowing down and enjoying life is good for the soul. I know it's hard for us moms to do!

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    1. No one's complimented my handwriting before! Thanks!

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