Busy-ness

I was interested to read an article in last week's Sunday New York Times, entitled "The Busy Trap".  The author, Tim Kreider, talks about the now typical response you get when you ask someone how they are doing - "Really busy" or "So busy".  It is said as a kind of boast, yet disguised as a complaint.

Most people, it seems, are busy.  But the majority of that busyness is self-imposed. We aren't talking about people with three jobs here, but rather people who make choices of things they want to do, alongside their work and other obligations.

It seems that part of having that busyness is that it blocks us from emptiness.  By being busy, we see our lives as being important and not trivial.  We do so much, so that has to be good.

So what about you?  Is your self worth linked to your busyness? Can you sit down and read a book and not feel guilty? Do you take a walk after dinner and look at the flowers, or lay on the lawn at night and look at the stars? Perhaps instead you are busy emailing, being a taxi service to your kids, or taking work home?  What about finding time to connect to friends?  When they call, are you just too busy?

Try it this week.  Try just not being busy for sometime of each day.  Linger over breakfast talking with the family, or read a book or do a jigsaw puzzle, or meet a friend for a drink, or..... Let's not fall into the busy trap and let our self worth be based on how busy we are.