The other day, I was on a Zoom call with a recent connection and as we were talking about the things we had going on, he made the comment, “Wow Jason, you are busy!” When he said that it didn’t really resonate with how I felt about what I am doing. In a way, he is right that I have quite a few things going on, but I don’t necessarily feel busy.
We can be busy doing so many things but are the things we are “busy” doing actually translating into the kind of results that we will get excited about?
I responded to my friend’s busy comment like this, “Yes I do have a lot going on, but I am excited about everything I’m doing. I see myself more as being active, than busy.” When I said that the light bulb turned on in my head and I felt much more positive as I was reflecting on all the things I am doing.
It seems like when people say busy, there is a negative connotation or we are in a constant rush. Busyness tends to steal our joy because all we can think about are the 10 million things we think we need to get done, but we also always feel like we never have enough time to get them all done. We can even get caught up in the paradigm of being busy just to be busy and not really being intentional about what we are doing.
We can make ourselves busy in so many ways, but are the ways we are busy truly giving us fulfillment and satisfaction?
What if we went from being busy to being active? Notice the difference in feeling you have when you say “I’m active” vs “I’m busy” There seems to be a small boost of excitement and positivity that flows to and through you. When I say I’m active I feel like I have a plan of action, direction, and inspiration. It feels like what I am doing matters and there is purpose behind everything I do whether it’s teaching, coaching, building a business or simply spending time with my family and friends.
Here are 3 tips for becoming more active rather than being busy;
- Replace busy with active when describing to others how things are going.
- Prepare your day the night before by setting aside time to do certain tasks. This gives your day direction and intention. Keep a list of 6 things you’d like to actively work on. Anything that you don’t get to just add it to the next day’s activity list
- Think of others benefitting from what you are actively doing.
Being active gives off a sense of intention and with intention comes authenticity. We are in a time where authenticity is becoming much more valued. Also, when we are active, we feel more energized to do the things we know we need to get done. We see others benefitting from the work we do which allows us to push through the lulls of the day. However when we feel busy, many times we are just trying to get through the day and we have a tendency to feel more tired and worn out. Choose to be active instead of busy, and see how different your day goes.
It’s go time! Be more active than busy and feel yourself improving! Make the choice to get a little better today! You’ll be so glad you did!
