Busy is the new buzz word. Sometimes it feels like being busy isn’t enough on it’s own: it’s all about who seems busier (as opposed to who actually is busier) than the next person. Now, I know, we are all pretty busy: as a parent, I know I devote far more time driving my kids here and there and back again than my parents every did. As my family points out, I am endlessly checking my iphone even when I am supposed to be relaxing. And new research suggests that many of us rarely leave our work in the office (and some of us have even abandoned the notion of vacations entirely.) Our kids live in the same world: between homework and extra-curricular activities, they are busy, busy, busy. In fact, my eldest son recently injured himself playing soccer, forcing the entire family to slow down so he could stay off his feet. Truth be told, the kids seemed much happier for it.
The New York Times recently had a great piece on this called the “The Busy Trap.” Check it out here: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/the-busy-trap/
Perhaps, though, we have mixed up the question: what is all this rushing about getting us? Are we using our time productively? If we are engaged in busy work for the sake of being, well, busy – what’s the point? On the other hand, if our work is to the benefit of someone else, why do we make it all about us? If we are volunteering, if we feel energized by our work, if we are serving a higher good, I expect we wouldn’t call it being busy: we would call it feeling fulfilled. (As in “filled full” of the right activities and life ventures, the kind that serve God, others and (ultimately) ourselves as well.
Something to think about the next time to you feel the need to one-up someone’s “I’m so busy” boast.
The New York Times recently had a great piece on this called the “The Busy Trap.” Check it out here: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/the-busy-trap/
Perhaps, though, we have mixed up the question: what is all this rushing about getting us? Are we using our time productively? If we are engaged in busy work for the sake of being, well, busy – what’s the point? On the other hand, if our work is to the benefit of someone else, why do we make it all about us? If we are volunteering, if we feel energized by our work, if we are serving a higher good, I expect we wouldn’t call it being busy: we would call it feeling fulfilled. (As in “filled full” of the right activities and life ventures, the kind that serve God, others and (ultimately) ourselves as well.
Something to think about the next time to you feel the need to one-up someone’s “I’m so busy” boast.
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