“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”
The speed of our world is increasing.
Technology and communication continue to improve. Information moves faster. And social media rewards those who never turn it off.
Expectations, demands, and accessibility continue to expand, but the number of hours in a week do not. As a result, our lives get busier and busier.
This approach to life rarely benefits us in the long-run because a busy life is an unreflective life. In fact, often times, we are so busy scurrying from one thing to another we don’t even have the space to realize our schedules have become overwhelmed. We don’t recognize how our overcommitted lives are harming us.
Even worse, we are unable to identify the hidden mistruths in our heart that are contributing to the problem. Consider these:
9 Hidden Lies that Keep Our Schedules Overwhelmed
1. Accolades will bring fulfillment. The thinking goes like this: The busier we are, the more we can accomplish and the more respect we can earn. And the more respect and accolades we receive, the more we can surely prove our worth and value to others. Unfortunately, if you are trying to find fulfillment in someone else’s opinion of you, you will never find it. You will always be left searching (and working) for more.
2. Money will bring happiness. We often get caught up in needless busyness because of our desire to earn and secure more money. Ever notice how often we are offered money (or the chance to win money) for our time? While it is important to work hard and provide for the needs of your family, it is foolish to think money is the quickest shortcut to better living.
3. I don’t have a choice. Many of us live over-busy lives because of the expectations and demands of others. In these cases, it is important to remember you always have a choice. Sure, there are seasons of life that require more of you and your time than others, but seasons always change. If yours hasn’t changed recently, you may need to revisit who is making the decisions in your life and where you can regain some of your control.
4. I’m more productive if I’m busy. Maybe you can be more productive for a short while, but human beings are not designed to work relentlessly without periods of rest. Countless studies confirm the importance of rest for productivity. Eventually, a lifestyle of busyness will detract from our productivity. And more importantly, your health and well-being. There are no exceptions.
5. I am needed. Pride is defined as holding an excessively high opinion of oneself or one’s importance. And it leads to overwhelmed schedules because of the foolish thinking that follows it: “Nobody else can do what I do.” This pride affects the way we view our business, our work, our family, and our personal relationships. Left unchecked, it leads to a busy life and in the end, a fall.
6. Everything is important. Our world has a tendency to make everything appear urgent, important, and beneficial to our lives. As the speed of information increases, our minds are seemingly less equipped to filter all the information and opportunities. But the most productive among us realize nobody can accomplish everything. They are relentless in their understanding of mission and the reality that very few things are truly important. And they never sacrifice the important for the trivial.
7. I need to be busy to keep up with everyone else. It may seem, at times, the only way to get ahead in life is to outwork everyone else. But just because everyone else appears busy does not mean they are busy about the right things. Nor does it mean they are finding joy in their pursuits. Frank Clark perhaps said it best, “Modern man is frantically trying to earn enough to buy things he’s too busy to enjoy.”
8. Busy makes me look more important. Busy, in and of itself, is not a badge of honor. In fact, being busy doing the wrong things is actually quite unattractive. Just remember, in a society rushing to keep up with everyone else, those who find peace, contentment, and rest are the ones admired…and envied.
9. Quietness is laziness. Often times, people avoid dealing with life’s deeper issues by packing their schedule tight. Someone who is discontent with their life’s choices can escape the difficult work of addressing them by masking them with busyness. Quietness is not laziness. Quietness is hard, but always worth the effort.
Many of the lies we have been told since birth crowd out the things in life that matter most. Instead of enjoying the benefit of calm, intentional living, we hurry from one needless triviality to another.
Don’t ever get so busy chasing the wrong things that you miss enjoying the right things. (tweet that)
Several years ago I was honored to receive little knick knack china articles that belonged to a hard working single woman who I met about 3 times. Upon her death, her entire possessions were dispersed. To this day, those who inherited the bulk of her estate would never know who I was, nor the pleasure and respect I felt receiving these gifts via my Mother In law who was one of her best friends. Since then I have had to sort my In Laws and Father’s estates and moved my parents several times as they and now Mum declines in health. Things that were important, things that were expensive, now surplus. I grew up to respect the value behind those things, but its sad to see them go into storage, and for what purpose? For the chance that one day I might get to unpack them again and put them somewhere to reflect on what was my parents & Inlaws treasured possessions? Don’t get me wrong, these treasures were special, but as time and life move on, will my child ever know the love,care and value that went behind the purchase and collection of such items? I’m not sure, but appreciate it may not be to her taste either. It saddens me to reflect as such, but herein lies a lesson.
I am in the same boat as Sally W…It took me about 2 1/2 years to clean out stuff from my Mothers downsizing, and other family members. Now when I walk into a house I see mostly “stuff & Dust collectors”. Now I can finally get to cleaning out my own stuff and then downsize and travel more. Happy to hear that other people are sharing the same stories. Thank you.
Several years ago my Mum asked me what I wanted for my birthday. “Nothing that gathers dust,” I replied. Same goes for Christmas. I’d far rather receive a nice bottle of wine; I write the donor’s name on the label and raise a glass to them when I drink it.
I really like the idea of the name on the label and toasting the person. Thanks for that!
My refrain for a few years has been: nothing that goes on a shelf. My children buy me movie tickets. ..and have to come with me! Or they take me out for coffee.
Love Love It. #9 nailed it. I often find myself feeling guilty when people ask me what I do with my time.
I am doing my best to keep only what I need, each year, I been getting rid of items I don’t use all the time. Hopefully when my check out time comes, my family won’t have too many things to have to deal with.
I have tried not to be busy….love it…I have to work…but tried to free schedule up…I like to veg…I don’t care if people think I’mlazy cuz I like to stay home…what’s wrong with spending time at home. That’s why we pay for a house…
I enjoyed a “minimal” lifestyle. I worked as an artist, lived in a small house, drove an old car so as not to have car payments. I kept my life free of stress, free of too many obligations, earning only as much money as I needed to live on and travel occasionally.
Then a degenerative, debilitating illness hit me. I became unable to work, unable to support myself, unable to afford my house. Had I lived a more materialistic lifestyle, I might have had some savings, or had a bigger house that I could have sold for a profit. I might now have reliable transportation. I might not be living below the poverty level now.
Sometimes obligations are good. Sometimes material things work in your favor. “Minimalism” is something that only works for the privileged. I wish I had known this thirty years ago.
I’m truly sorry. I believe no one way of living is correct, when it comes to money.. and only a life dependent on God daily can give any of us truly a full life. You are dependent on God daily to supply your needs. You are like the sparrow he speaks of. Again I’m sorry:( I pray you are able to find things to smile about and give thanks for daily.
“Minimalism” doesn’t mean you can’t have savings or a retirement plan. Be careful so as not to confuse living minimally and living with no security.
In fact, minimalism is helping me realize that I should pay down my debt, have money in the bank for a rainy day and ALSO have a plan for the future.
You can live a minimalist life where you have free time to relax and enjoy, yet also have the forethought to protect yourself in case you become ill.
Agreed. I am sorry for your situation, Breed7, but thank you for sharing. I do think it is so important for those that are trying to transition into living minimally to understand the difference as Maya stated. The way I’ve interpreted living minimally is to be cautious as to what I allow to clutter my life because it is taking time and space away from things of import, true value, and worth. In my case, I am far from successful at it, but it’s allowed me to not spend money on frivolous things, like a fancy car, and instead put what would be my car payment every month into savings/401k. The same with a house. Instead of having a house that matches my friends’ houses, we live in a smaller one, pay hundreds of dollars over our regular payment on a 15 year fixed and are working on paying it off well in advance of schedule while most of our friends are making the minimum payment on a 30 year. It’s making smaller, simpler, intentional choices to allow what’s important to matter.
Hey, my heart goes out to you.
Can this new way of living be a pearl of great price, in some way, however obscure now?
We are human beings on a spiritual journey constantly having to turn chaff into wheat.
I wish you godspeed for the journey within and without. ????
Oh, I need these reminders! This was so timely today–thank you!
Here’s another quote on busyness that I need to tape to my wall: “Sometimes we feel that the busier we are, the more important we are—as though our busyness defines our worth.
We can spend a lifetime whirling about at a feverish pace, checking off list after list of things that in the end really don’t matter.”
~Joseph B. Wirthlin
Nothing like a little adventure with cancer that taught me all of what’s talked about here. The world around me continued while my own world stopped for 6 months. Yet I am healthier, happier, “richer”, and much more influential today as a result. However, it doesn’t keep these issues from knocking at my door now and then…good to have such a great reminder!
I hear you and you are spot on. Maxine–another warrior ????
I’ve had to move several times, and I’ve been homeless and had to put my things in storage a few times. I couldn’t afford to keep all the things I’d amassed, but I have a few treasures.
As for my job, there are some things I WISH I could hire someone to do–mainly marketing. But, I’m an author and only I can write my books, saying what I want to say in MY voice. Of course, it definitely beats working as an administrative assistant at an accounting firm helping fat cats save on their taxes. Especially since today I sign petitions against those very clients. Ugh! So glad I’m bi-polar and now 66. Just hope my Social Security doesn’t get cut and I don’t end up greeting people at Wal-Mart.