Why busyness doesn’t equal greatness
Two hour parking | Photo by Jonathan Blundell
Why is it that we continue to view busyness as a virtue?
We’ve begun prioritizing activity over relationships as if it some how proves our greatness.
- Countless meetings at work
- Conference calls with sales team
- Always being available by phone or e-mail
- Checking e-mail every 10 minutes
- Checking Facebook every 3 minutes
- Soccer practice, piano practice and after school activities for the kids
All in the name of staying busy — to prove we amount to something.
Just think about it…
How often do your conversations include the following:
“Staying busy?”
“Yup!”
“Excellent! Good to hear!”
Imagine if your boss asked you the question and you told them, “Nope. I was efficient, finished my job in 30 minutes and I’ve been enjoying some free time most of the afternoon.”
Think they’d let you stick around much longer?
And yet, if you think about the great people we want to follow and emulate in life, busyness doesn’t come up in their list of great characteristics.
Who really wants to follow someone who’s always in a hurry or who never had time to stop and enjoy the moment?
As a kid, do you really want to hear how busy your parents are — especially if they’re busy with things other than yourself?
As an employee, do you really look up to a boss or supervisor who has to work late every night and comes in to work on the weekends?
Do you really want to hear a friend make excuses for cancelling dinner because they’re “just too busy?”
We tend to idolize those who stay busy — yet what we really want, is to surround ourselves with people who put relationships first.
Figure out what matters to you most and then start taking time today to enjoy them.
Live in the present. Avoid the busyness. Put people first.
So what will it take for you to change your priorities?
What would it take for our culture to change its priorities?
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