On Being Busy

(Okay–people are getting my trivia questions too easily, but I enjoy giving them. How’s this one? Bonus points if you name the movie this is from AND how it connects to the topic of this post.)

So I was noting yesterday how busy I was. And as I reflected on just how busy I was, my first reaction was to think, “Sheesh. I sure miss the days when I wasn’t this busy.”

But you know what? I think I’ve been busy for a very long time.

It’s easy to point at things in my life that I’m doing now that I wasn’t doing before, and to start making the argument that my life has been getting progressively busier. It’s easy to look at families with fewer children and scoff at their claims of being busy. Or to look at couples with no children. Or people who aren’t married. But I think when you do that, you lose sight of certain key things.

First up, there are things I’m NOT doing now that once made my life incredibly busy. I’m not going to school full time. I’m not writing papers. I’m not working on a thesis. So yes, things are added to my schedule, but things are also taken away. Let’s not forget that when the unmarried college student is complaining about how busy he is and how he can’t keep track of everything he has to do.

Second, we get better at dealing with things in our lives. It takes practice. Would a concert pianist make fun of a person learning to play the piano, just because they miss some notes? Well, maybe–but that guy would be a real jerk. That couple with one child? This is their first time encountering all those problems a parent of three or four (or twelve) can already deal with in their sleep. Is it any wonder they feel really busy and on edge?

Third, I am as busy as I am in large part due to the decisions I have made. To complain about being busy is really just to complain that I can be a crappy prioritizer, or that I’m bad at saying “No” to things. If I’m feeling overstressed or too busy, I always have the option of starting to trim down on other things I’m doing in my life. My first nominee? Mowing the yard. But something tells me that’s not a valid candidate.

Anyway. This post is really more inward focused than it is outward. I’m not hear to tell you all to not worry about being so busy. I’m telling myself. You just got to come along for the ride. I’m nice like that.

And speaking of busy, I’m off to ConnectiCon tomorrow morning. Say hi if you’re in the area. It should be a fun time!

(Oh–and the answer to the trivia question? It’s from Shawshank Redemption, of course. The connection? This is the scene where the famous line is spoken: “I guess it comes down to a simple choice, you know: Get busy living, or get busy dying.”

4 thoughts on “On Being Busy”

  1. Love this line: “I am as busy as I am in large part due to the decisions I have made. To complain about being busy is really just to complain that I can be a crappy prioritizer, or that I’m bad at saying “No” to things. If I’m feeling overstressed or too busy, I always have the option of starting to trim down on other things I’m doing in my life.”

    It is so true! And my husband would agree wholeheartedly with what you would love to give up.

  2. Shawshank Redemtion and it applies to the movie, because although we may think being busy is a pain, it is actually what keeps us alive and gives us hope. In the movie, Andy Dufresne is constantly taking on new projects and keeping busy. His hopeful outlook inspires the inmates around him and he eventually escapes because of his diligence. While some leisure is nice and even necessary, having occupations provides some meaning to our lives.

    Did I get it?

  3. I’m a lot less busy now that I have a kid, because I cut all sorts of things out of my life to make room for her, and I discovered I like my life that way. Of course, this does have its downsides. I can’t be in every writing group I want to be, for example…

    PS your impossible captcha code actually got harder. What is wrong with your site? I’m going to stop commenting because I am clearly a robot.

  4. Betsy–Thanks.

    Chris–Very nicely put!

    Janci–I’m looking at switching over to WordPress soon. Stay tuned, and don’t give up (or you can always comment on Facebook, if it’s easier)

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