Addicted to "Busy"

my wunderlist account

Beware the barrenness of a busy life.  ~ Socrates

It's a three day weekend, but I feel like I am working (on school related stuff) more than I should.  I keep reviewing the goals I outlined in my first post on this new blog, and the reviews are mixed.  As I glance at my Wunderlist account, and the sixty-three tasks sitting in my folders, I can't help but wonder if I am a "busy" addict.

Does feeling busy, a great deal of the time, provide me with a distorted sense of importance?  The opportunity to be the victim of circumstances?  A potential excuse in the event of failure?  I'm also considering if I am really as busy as I think I am, or just overwhelmed by an inability to sift what's important from what is not.  

A reality check for me is when people with whom I work begin conversations with, "I know you are incredibly busy, but..."  When I hear that, I generally feel a tinge of guilt that comes with the understanding that I am projecting an air of importance based on busyness (i.e. don't bother me, I have too much too do).

We all have days when we feel like we have much more to get done than what is humanly possible to accomplish, but truth be told, in most cases it works out.  I know that the key to solving this challenge lies in identifying what is most important, and making sure that our "busyness" addresses those issues of highest value.  That, in itself, is a challenging task.

While I continue to struggle through this personal challenge, I'll do my best to heed my own advice from Do Over: 5 Things I'll Do Differently:

• Take breaks
• Minimize multi-tasking
• Turn off my phone
• Do less
• Fill the day with what is important

In fact, I'm headed to the pool with my daughter right now.  That should address all five.  Feel free to share your thoughts, and strategies, for breaking the addiction to being busy.