Ep 99 – Busy Doing What?

Are you an overambitious scheduler and a productivity geek constantly trying to get more efficient, fit more in your schedule, and keep doing more and more? What if I told you that’s counterproductive in itself?

Hello and welcome to the deep dive series on the Being Meraklis podcast. I am Shwetha Sivaraman, your self-awareness coach, here to help you ask the right questions. In today’s episode, we will break down the notion of busyness, why it is counterproductive, and reflect on a question to deep dive and be more mindful in our day-to-day lives.

In today’s hustle culture, busyness is worn proudly as a badge of honour. Many years ago, I wrote a blog on how busyness must not be equated to productivity that remains relevant even today. Our slash economy and the never-ending race for fame, wealth, and glory keep us on our toes, constantly doing more and more. Being busy and always short of time is equated to being successful in our worlds. But is it really?

When we are constantly busy going from one thing to the next without a moment’s pause, we are likely to feel burned out and have no sense of accomplishment. We constantly feel scarcity and lack of time; the more we focus on its lack, the lesser we have of it. We become so engrossed in the minute aspects that we lose track of the bigger picture. And, the worst part, being busy sucks out all the joy in our everyday lives. When we are busy over time, even the things we love begin to feel like a chore. Eventually, if and when we pause to reflect, we have nothing to show and no clue where our time has passed.

So here’s one question to ask ourselves when we’re constantly running around 3 simple words –

Busy doing what?

What are we so busily engaged in? What is taking all of our time, energy, and attention? Are the activities that consume most of our time and energy the top priorities?

When I asked myself this question, I realised I was busy doing irrelevant things. I used to get sucked into the mundane, trivial, apparently urgent tasks that didn’t feature in any of my top priorities.

Why do we do this?

1. We lack clarity on what’s most important to us.
2. We know what’s important but aren’t feeling emotionally secure to do the essential things. So we procrastinate by keeping ourselves busy, doing other things and exhausting ourselves, so we don’t have to face not knowing how to do what’s important. This could be the lack of know-how or the fear of not getting it right. Either scenario overwhelms us and stops us from doing what’s most important.
3. Our people-pleasing tendencies are high, and we cannot set boundaries to do what’s important.
4. Or, we are afraid of what’s most important. We are so scared of the uncertainties it involves, about the chances of failure, and we steer clear from ever thinking about it by keeping our calendars full and excuses loaded.

So if that’s been your life the past few weeks, too, here’s your friendly reminder to pause and check yourself. What are you so busy with? Are they what’s most important to you? What’s stopping you from prioritising what’s most important? How can you balance your schedule and bring more presence and joy to your day-to-day activities?

We need to rewire the thought that laziness or lack of ambition is the opposite of being busy. The opposite of being busy is getting intentional. We can lead more purposeful and fulfilling lives by being deliberate about our choices and actions. In some seasons of our life, that could also mean being intentionally busy. In this case, though, it becomes a conscious choice that’s not compulsive and can make all the difference in the world.

Take time to deep dive, and reflect on these questions to ensure you’re intentional in life, purposeful with your time, and busy only by conscious choice, not by unconscious compulsion.

Quoting Oriah Mountain Dreamer from The Dance, “Sometimes I think there are only two instructions we need to follow to develop and deepen our spiritual life: slow down and let go.”

So slow down, live a little deeper today, and make sure you spend time engaging in what’s most meaningful and fulfiling to you, because kal ho na ho 🙂

This is Shwetha Sivaraman signing off until we meet again; hoping you have a fabulous week ahead.