You’ve probably noticed you haven’t received a newsletter from me in a couple of weeks…This is because I’ve been head-over-heels busy! Yep, I said it –along with everyone else- the most over used word of this day and age – ‘busy’.
I feel we use it almost like a badge of honour, like being busy is a good thing. But should we really be proud of working too much, having a sometimes unorganised and chaotic life, depriving ourselves of sleep and the ones closest to us, letting our relationships and health slide?
I fell into some bad habits during this crazy time in the past few weeks, leading up to the holidays. I took all the work I could and didn’t say no to optional extras. I averaged about 4 hours of sleep each night (or day) completely relaxed with my eating, stuffed myself with whatever was available, eating at weird hours like 3am in the morning, drinking wine after a long day (and there were many long days) I even resorted to sharing cans of coke with my friends on a few occasions because I knew it was packed with sugar and caffeine and I was looking for anything to give me more energy (a short, un-nutritious, spike of energy with a crash that hit even harder) – I was shocked at myself with this one because I hadn’t touched the stuff in about a decade! – I became emotionally unavailable to my partner and friends, I felt like a zombie who could hardly keep up a conversation! Basically, I didn’t honour my body and my soul’s needs and I suffered because of it.
So, piggybacking off all the above and the last few weeks I’ve had, here are 5 reasons why I think being busy is overrated and why you shouldn’t let ‘busy’ get the best of you like it did with me…
- We lose track of our priorities – We take all the work that comes, say yes to everything and all of a sudden your own list of priorities and the ones relying on you get pushed to the bottom in this whirlwind of busy and you don’t even have time to look after your own dog, unpack your suitcase from a week ago or say “hi” and “I love you” to your partner – just speaking from experience. For me, my partner, pets and a tidy space to come home to and getting these newsletters out to you, should be a priority. What are your main priorities and how can they stay at the top of your ‘to do’ list next time things get crazy? Write them down or at least take a mental note.
- We forget to care for ourselves – Self-love should be a non-negotiable. Taking a holiday or a day off isn’t being lazy or ignoring our responsibilities: it’s a part of remaining in shape holistically, in the mind, body, and spirit! Take that time for yourself, whether it be a holiday, a day off with no appointments, commitments or places to be, or an hour for yourself throughout the day, to recharge, relax, meditate, or just sit without answering your phone, emails or anyone else who doesn’t urgently need to be answered within that hour. Learning to not be at everyone’s beck and call will do so much for you peace of mind and soul in the long run.
- We put our health at risk – Being constantly busy can trigger things like chronic stress, which leads to all sorts of issues that aren’t good for our body. Trust me, I’ve experienced an auto immune dysfunction during one of the most exhausting, physically demanding, emotionally draining jobs I’ve ever had, a few years back, which lead me to all sorts of illnesses, acne, weight issues and being incredibly unhappy. I even fell sick in the last few weeks when I wasn’t putting myself first and I was forced to power through. My health diminished because my body didn’t have the energy it needed to fight anything that came along. It doesn’t have to be that way though! Especially when you build a routine that prioritises your health. If you’re truly serious about doing incredible work, then you will be equally as committed to keeping your body in tune. Lesson learnt for me! Learn from my mistakes and be good to your body during these hectic times- it’s when it needs you the most 😉
- We become disconnected from the ones we love– Isn’t the whole reason why we work is so that we have the money to live a good lifestyle with the ones we love? I think for most of us the answer is ”‘yes”. So what’s the point in not having any time for the ones we’re essentially working so hard for? We’re not promised tomorrow, next week or next year, but that doesn’t mean quit your job and just ‘YOLO’ everyday, it just means be mindful of the ones closest to you. Work will always be there, but the connections and moments that we cherish and make life worth living, won’t be.
- We forget our “why” – Our “why” drives us to achieve and persist under almost any circumstances, when a lot of other people might give up. It’s what allows us to power through crazy work hours in the first place. But we’re not simply workers. There are so many other aspects to our beings and life. To remember this though, we need to create time to refresh and think about the reason we do what we do. Having things to do isn’t bad, but busyness without purposefulness is a recipe for burnout and unhappiness.
Next week we’re going to go through some ideas and strategies to help with these busy times so that we can hold space for ourselves and the ones we love, and so we can remain the healthiest, happiest versions of ourselves!
Until then, don’t let busy get the best of you!