#BusyNotBeingBusy | Life Love and Hiccups: #BusyNotBeingBusy
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Friday 19 August 2016

#BusyNotBeingBusy

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I have this theory that many of us feel like we have to be busy for the sake of being busy, so much so that we have programmed ourselves to be busy even we we have nothing really to keep us busy.

It's also like we have this innate need to tell people how busy we are too, like it somehow validates our self worth or something.

The problem is every time we talk about how busy we are, it perpetuates the guilt we feel if we are not busy and so we get sort of defensive about how busy we really are and sometimes (read often) it even turns into a competition, a battle of the busyness if you will and we are all chasing the title of the busiest of the busy.

You know what I am talking about right?

Have you ever had a conversation with someone you run into that kind of plays out like this...

"Hey, how are you?"

"Good thanks, busy, but good.. how about you?"

"Yeah I'm good too but busy, busier that I've ever been!"

"Oh man me too, work is so soooo busy. I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to call you sorry."

"That's OK, I know what you mean, the kids have been keeping me busy and I've been busy with doing Yada Yada Yada Blah Blah Blah Busy Busy Busy"

Sound familiar?

I think I have had this same conversation at least eleventy three times this past week and don't get me wrong, I am just as guilty of buying into the busy game as any of the busy people I have spoken to.

It's a little bit ridiculous when you think about it, we are all so busy being busy and telling people how busy we are that it is like some kind of badge of honour or something.

When did they start handing out trophies that say CONGRATULATIONS you are the winner of the busiest of the busy award?

Seriously....Bloody hell!

I am ashamed to say that I am have become so competent at being all busy like that I think I am actually incapable of just doing nothing any more and that's not exactly something I am proud of.

Over the years I have even built it up to a point that I feel guilty if I am not busy doing something, and if I happen to find myself with any spare time on my hands (which is rare because I am so busy and all that), instead of enjoying that free time I immediately go looking for something to do... because surely I should be busy doing something right?

I mean, I could be cleaning out the oven, or filing the last year's worth of bills and banks statements or cleaning the grout on the bathroom floor... anything other than just sitting down on the back deck with a cup of coffee and a pile of magazines to read because I am not going to earn my badge of honour if I am not BUSY BEING BUSY.

Pluck a flipping duck!

An even bigger joke is that the business I own was created to encourage other people to take the time to slow down and do something for themselves and yet there I am running around like a silly flapper and not actually practising what I preach.

Screw that... I am done with busy. I am officially uninstalling my self programmed busy mode.

I cannot even stand the sound of the word and I am hereby declare a revolution against busyness.

I want to be the person who shocks the shit out of someone when they ask how I am doing by saying "I'm good thanks. I've been sitting on my ass all afternoon counting blades of grass and eating Cheetos, I couldn't be better."

OK, maybe I could find a better way of not being busy than filling my guts with Cheetos, but I like the idea of saying "screw the oven, screw the bills and screw the God Damn grout and guilt".

If you ever run into me and I tell you how busy I am, you have my full permission to ear flick me OK?!

You can even do it twice.

Rightio then, with all that said, I am just going to sit here in this coffee shop a bit longer, drink my coffee, take photos of random flower arrangements whilst I stare at busy people and feel all virtuous about not being busy.

Let the revolution begin people. Let's get #BusyNotBeingBusy

Do you find yourself always busy being busy, or are you one of the people I admire who has successfully managed to avoid installing the busy program?

Wanna embrace the #BusyNotBeingBusy Revolution with me?