Busy is a state of mind.
Think about it. What exactly is busy? How do you measure busy? Can you measure it? The answer is no because it’s not quantifiable. Busy is a state of mind. What you might define as a “busy day” by your standards, might be a chill day for someone else. Busyness is not related to external circumstances. It’s completely relevant to your thoughts.
What happens when you think you are busy?
When you think you busy, how does that make you feel? You are likely to feel overwhelmed. Stressed. Your mind is probably jumping all over the place from one task to the next. You might even feel like you won’t be able to accomplish it all. (“How am I ever going to get this all done?! I might as well just give up and watch Netflix instead.”)
Thinking that you are “busy” can ultimately put you in a victim mentality. You start to think that you are a victim of your to-do list. You begin to tell yourself that you don’t have time to do everything. When you allow yourself to succumb to busyness, you cannot do the deep work that you need to do. The anxiety kicks in and produces procrastination, avoidance, and multitasking. This busyness of the mind ultimately interferes with you getting work done.
So how can you allow yourself to pause + slow down?
When you find yourself saying, “I need to do more” check yourself. Question why you feel like you need to do more. Where does this thought come from? Remember, you don’t need to be doing it all. Determine what things are important to you and your purpose, and learn to let go of the things that likely don’t inspire the drive + excitement within you.
Stop comparing yourself to others. Just because someone else is doing something (or everything) doesn’t mean you have to do it as well. You don’t have to do something to prove your worthiness because you were already born (and will forever be) worthy.
Schedule time for yourself to relax + for self-care. And make sure you schedule this time on your calendar first (and make no exceptions!) Being intentional about allowing time for rest is so important. This will then allow you to really focus during those times when you are working and you will likely create even better results with your work.
And lastly, remember that you don’t need to be constantly hustling, people-pleasing, and overcommitting to prove your worthiness. You are already worthy. When you say “yes” to something, you are saying “no” to something else. Figure out what “yes’s” bring you the most joy and learn to say “no” more often to the things that amplify your anxiety. This will help to minimize burnout and allow you to show up better where you truly want to show up.
References:
https://tamikeehn.com/stop-glorifying-hustle-mentality/