‘I’m can’t come, I’m busy’, ‘I’m fine thanks, very busy though’, ‘I know you’re busy but…’ How many times do we hear these phrases in a week? Everyone seems to be busy nowadays and this seems to be our preferred state of being. The problem is, it’s really quite bad for us in the long term as it creates a perpetual state of stress and could be masking more serious issues. So why are we so busy all the time? Is there simply so much that needs to be done now or do we just think we need to stuff our time with constant activity?
The Cult of Busyness
Imagine answering the question, ‘what have you been up to recently?’ with ‘absolutely nothing’. How wrong would that feel? Or how rebellious, depending on your nature? We all seem to love time to ourselves to relax but these moments end up being precious because they’re so rare. Doing nothing makes us feel guilty and like we should be doing something productive. Our society values people based on how productive they are and we see famous ‘successful’ people talking about the ridiculous hours they work and how little they sleep and we are supposed to view this as admirable. This is a real shame because we are human beings and not human doings after all but it is very easy to compare ourselves to others and feel bad because they seem to be busier than us.
Why it’s Such a Bad Thing
The serious issue here, however, is how this continual busyness can impact on our wellbeing. Constantly rushing about, feeling like we have more to do than we can cope with and rarely taking time out to relax can lead to a build up of stress that can damage physical and mental health. Keeping yourself busy can also be a way of avoiding more serious worries or mental health concerns too as people do things to avoid thinking about the thing really worrying them. This is really bad news for mental health as it is essentially piling stress on stress. It also, ironically, can lead to you getting less done than you would like because much of our busyness is actually worrying about things rather than getting them done and stress, as well as poor mental health, kills concentration and motivation.
How we Can Stop Being Busy
It seems unrealistic to say you can just stop being busy but you can certainly make it easy to manage everything you need to do and spend less time worrying. The trick is to get organised. Lists aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but it’s very helpful to write down everything you need to do so you don’t have to worry about forgetting things. Then there’s nothing quite like getting things done and crossing them off. It is also worth actually scheduling breaks and things to do to relax into your day so you can allow yourself that time guilt-free. If it’s already scheduled as part of your day, you work around it and make time. Taking time out to relax every day, even if it’s only for a half an hour, can help to prevent that build up
of stress. Once you feel your stress levels going down, it’s much easier to see everything you do with a clear mind and avoid that ‘busy brain’ feeling.
Obviously, we’re going to suggest that you book yourself in for yoga, a float, an infrared sauna session or a massage at The Float Spa to give yourself some vital time to relax but really, as long as you take that time out to focus on your own wellbeing, that’s great. If you would like to book with us, call 01273 933 680.
