Sunday, July 1, 2012

Being busy as an excuse

There was a nice little Opinionater piece in the Sunday 7/1/12 NY Times on The Busy Trap. For me it led to a great basic insight: for many of us, being "crazy busy" is a choice. Being crazy busy means that we don't have to acknowledge our priorities; nor do we have to 'fess up to the things and people we'd like to avoid. Haven't taken care of your health? "Oh, I have just been crazy busy." Haven't called family members? "Oh, I have just been crazy busy." Don't follow up with certain people? "Oh, I have just been crazy busy." Haven't finished that project? ... And on and on. Works well, doesn't it? For some of us, maybe being crazy busy is a great way to be dishonest, not just to others, but to ourselves. Maybe it is a way to avoid being responsible and engaged, but with the ironic bonus of seeming ever-more responsible and engaged. I think that this year I may resolve to be less busy ... and in the process, be more honest and get more things done.