Why Are You So Busy?

Author : Zoe Herbert
"Successful people are busy. Really busy." "Give a busy person something more to do and they'll be the ones to get it done." "Idleness is the devil's work." "I need to be this busy just to get through the day." "There isn't enough time to do it all." "If I relaxed the pace something would fall over."Stop right there - do you agree with all those statements? Do you live by them? Can't imagine life without being extremely busy? Afraid to slow down?Have you considered living a life that is relaxed, fun, non-stressed, easy, plenty of time to yourself and your family while your business and work is rewarding as well as prosperous? It is not magic. It is not a pipedream.It is possible. It is achievable. You just need to DECIDE to live this kind of life. Then start putting the success support structures in place that will make this kind of life a reality.Why are you so busy anyway? Many professionals I speak with are overwhelmed by their work, can't seem to get through their ever-growing task list, and are completely drained by the time they crawl into bed. When I ask them WHY they are so busy, there is always a reason - "I'm new to my job, I've got to bring in the cash, my business wouldn't survive without me, I'm bored if I am not doing something."If you dig a little deeper, you find that people are "busy" because they want to feel significant or purposeful, that they link activity with productivity (not always the case!), they link "busy-ness" to commitment and performance. Often they are trying to prove something to themselves or others.The reality is that the "busy-ness" is a mask, a barrier, a screen, an impediment to who you really are. When you are busy, are you able to think about your goals, aspirations, purpose, vision? When you are busy, are you able to stop and really feel alive and in love with life and who you are on this planet? When you are busy can you be your absolute best - best lover, best parent, best friend, best listener, best colleague, best supervisor, best partner, best thinker? When you are busy are you able to fully savour the moment, the present? When you are busy do you always do quality work? When you are busy do you enjoy your work thoroughly? When you are busy do you feel calm and contented?If you answered 'no' to some/many/all of the above questions, then I have one more question for you: Why ARE you so busy?! Is it a sense of duty, sense of obligation, fear, to prove something to yourself or to someone else, because you don't know how to do it any other way?What is it costing you to be so busy? Your health? Happiness? A relationship? Time for yourself? Your goals and dreams? Your sense of YOU?Please note - this is a challenging concept - that busy-ness may be in the way of getting what you really want. Here's another question for you to ponder - who are you when you are NOT busy? Think of a time when you were extremely relaxed, happy, doing something that felt completely wonderful and fulfilling. How did that feel? What were you like? How were you able to think, behave, and act differently?Are you this person when you are so busy?If like me you have discovered that being busy is in getting in the way of you being who you truly are, then you need to take action to address this situation. Do whatever it takes to re-structure your life to give you more time, space, and freedom to be your true self. See a financial planner to help plan your finances better, hire someone to do the housekeeping and gardening, change jobs, discuss your working hours with your boss, ask for more assistance, re-design your work load so it more realistic and manageable, delegate it /do it/ dump it. If you do not know what to do or how to handle the situation, hire a coach to help you put some solid success structures in place.Note: if you find yourself protesting wildly about this concept, just stop and consider the option of not being busy. Just think about it.Cancer survivor Zoe Routh is the Head Coach at Inner Compass, a personal development organisation that helps busy professionals work less and achieve more. Inner Compass offers practical strategies and solutions to improve personal effectiveness and live an inspired life. http://www.innercompass.com.au
Keyword : time management, productivity, procrastination, self development, self help