Stop Over-Extending Yourself with Meaningless Work and Be Intentional with What You Want

Do you find that you’re always busy? Sometimes people confuse being busy with being productive. Unfortunately, these two things aren’t the same, and being busy for the sake of being busy usually leads to feeling unfulfilled. If you think you may be addicted to needlessly overscheduling yourself, read on to discover how to stop being busy and start being intentional in order to live your best life.

About Busyness

“Busyness” is a term that has become popular recently because so many people these days have found themselves constantly overscheduled and busy all the time. There is a difference between living a full, satisfying life and being busy for the sake of being busy. When you’re simply living a busy life, you’ll find that you’re struggling to keep up with your obligations and like there’s no time to take a break. You may feel anxious or depressed frequently. Another sure sign that you’re caught up in busyness is if you feel like your value is tied to all the things you do, yet you don’t truly feel fulfilled by these activities.
Why Busyness is a Problem

There are often many things underlying our busyness, and these issues are often at the heart of what is holding us back. Perhaps you try to distract yourself from your true passions by staying busy because you’re afraid to take a risk on what you’d rather be doing. Maybe you overschedule your life to avoid dealing with internal problems you’re experiencing. Whatever the case, it’s important to take stock of your busyness to determine whether you’re truly deriving meaning and satisfaction from the time you’re spending on these activities. Some people believe they’re more valuable if they have a lot going on. If you aren’t fulfilled, you should re-assess the ways in which you’re spending your time.

How to Overcome Busyness

Busyness keeps you from living your full potential. To end the cycle, you’ll need to start cutting back on the activities and obligations you take on. Start saying no to things that aren’t essential and that don’t bring you enjoyment. This should free up some time. Don’t fill those slots. Instead, allow yourself to feel what it’s like to not be busy. This downtime might give you some perspective on how you truly want to be spending your free hours. After a few months of learning to do less, begin to reintroduce activities to your schedule. Just be sure they’re things you truly want to do and that will bring benefits to your life.

Being busy isn’t always satisfying, nor is it always productive. With practice, you’ll start to learn the difference between busyness and activities that bring meaning to your life. Be patient with yourself while you learn the difference.