Sorry, I'm busy....

Social distancing has really made the world re evaluate what we thought was important or was a priority. Before the quarantine, I would describe my day as pretty busy. My mind was always thinking about work, my team and what tomorrow would look like. Fast forward to an indefinite work from home arrangement and things have certainly changed. I am now allowing myself to change to the concept of being busy by really evaluating the tasks in front of me and deciding what is truly important and what helps me grow. Mindfulness here is key!

A few months ago a colleague of mine made a really great point about the concept of being busy. He said not to use busy as an excuse - be busy because you actually have something to do, and not to hide away. Once you are done your task, revel in its completion and appreciate the freedom you now have to do something that you want like learning a new skill, reading that book you always wanted to finish or even better, nothing at all. I realized he had a really great point. Stop filling your calendar with unnecessary meetings and commitments that you could have turned down but felt compelled to join. Why is that so challenging for us?

The answer will be different for each person but there seem be some common underlying themes. Perhaps some of us are trying to avoid certain situations, not wanting to deal with them directly. We may be experiencing an internal drive to stay on top of things at all times, or maybe we have bought into the strange concept that busyness is somehow something to be coveted and considered high status. Or are we just scared of the stillness we may experience? An interesting question to ask ourselves.

No matter the reason why we are so busy, it is not a healthy state to be in long term. Here are just four reasons why we should re-evaluate what busy can means:

1. When you are busy, you may not be in the present moment: With so much going on, you may be pushed and pulled in multiple directions. It is at these times that staying focused on the present moment can prove to be very challenging.

2. You start to multitask which is not something your brain appreciates: Instead of juggling multiple tasks, stop and focus on one task to completion. The brain uses up large amounts of energy when your attention jumps from task to task.

3. You stop prioritizing properly: The line between what we should do and need to do gets blurred and we suddenly as though everything is a priority. Slowing down gives you a chance to get an overall view of what has to be done.

4. You forget to look after yourself: Days filled with work leave little time to focus on yourself. Self care is an essential part of our day to day. Take time out to rest and do something that makes you happy.

How can we combat our escape into the world of busy? Quite simply, the answer is mindfulness. Each time we feel the urge to say "I'm busy," take a moment to check yourself. Are you really busy?

tuppada #slowdown #mindfulness #mindful #sati #covid19