Busy, Busy, Busy! And what to do about it!
Paul White's nationally distributed syndicated column, “Busy, Busy, Busy! And what to do about it!” is published in 22 publications across seven states. This includes the following newspapers and digital publications: Midland Daily News (MI), SFGate (CA), Seattle PI (WA), Connecticut Post (CT), Laredo Morning Times (TX), Huron Daily Tribune (MI), The Telegraph (IL), and more. In this week's article, Paul encourages you to forgo the “busy excuse” and instead pursue personal experiences to find growth and joy.
I’m guilty, and so are you. Got time to chat? Sorry, I’m too busy. Would you like to get together for lunch? Sorry, I’m just so busy right now. Should I reach out to my parents, siblings, in-laws, aunt, uncle, cousin, childhood friend, old neighbor, person I used to work with, or former teacher or coach that really helped me? I should, but I’m just so doggone busy. Have you had a chance to read that book I gave you? I will, but I need to wait until I’m not so busy. How about all those volunteer opportunities that keep popping up? I’d love to, I really would, but I need to wait until I’m not so busy.
Is it any wonder that the average “life-satisfaction” score is trending steeply downward? Busy, Busy, Busy! Just exactly what are we missing out on that we attribute to busyness? Just what has significantly increased that’s taking up our previously available time? Can it all be blamed on the increase in screen time that’s grown by leaps and bounds since internet access in the palm of our hand became an entitlement that many of us are addicted to? Yes, I just said “addicted to” which you’re already denying that it could possibly relate to you. Others maybe, but not you. The truth is that I’ve been guilty of excessive screen time, and I’ve made a focused attempt to limit it and free up the time I have available for personal experiences.
I must admit that saying “I’m too busy” is a wonderful excuse to utilize so we don’t have to exit our personal comfort zone. You know, the comfort zone we created that helped us hunker down and navigate the pandemic being in near quarantine conditions. But what might we be missing out on when we utilize being busy as an excuse? The birth of nearly every invention resulted from a discussion with another human(s) that led to action in an attempt to satisfy a curiosity. Medical cures all have resulted from human interaction. Business solutions, economic solutions, societal solutions all begin with thoughtful interaction with others. Is there hope? Absolutely! Is the solution easy? It can be if you’re willing to at least try.
Currently, people experiencing the most joy and contentment in life are the ones pursuing personal experiences. They reserve open blocks of time, with complete control, having those blocks of time available to be able to say YES when an opportunity to be engaged with others surfaces. Success at work, in friendships, in relationships, and in families is now being defined by the level of the personal experience when engaged with others…in person. It’s probably a great disappointment to many of you that the internet, zoom meetings, and social media do NOT constitute a well-defined personal experience.
In my book “The Answer Discovery” I’ve included over 100 life lessons that all originated with my own personal experiences. While some may have been born in a book or article I read, or from a seminar or conference I’ve attended, or even from an unplanned encounter, it was the related ACTION I took in the form of a personal experience that developed my character and the principles I live by that have led to my success and joy. Others have shared with me that they find great inspiration or satisfaction reading a well-thought-out quote online. Admittedly, I appreciate a meaningful quote, HOWEVER, quotes don’t mean a thing unless they’re put into action. We benefit from the action related to the quote, not the quote itself. The action piece requires a personal experience. That’s the key.
So, how about YOU? Are you ready to stop hiding behind the “busy excuse” that is limiting your personal experiences and growth? There are plenty of people that are pursuing growth in their mental well-being through personal experiences. They’re some of the people you encounter every day, in person, that you notice are happy and experiencing success in life. They have a positive outlook and are the ones that resist the instantly available negativity that gets pushed forth from so many directions. Engage with them. Make time to meet up with them. You’ll find that they always seem to have time to help someone else utilizing their past personal experiences. That someone can be you if you’re willing to ask. So, take ACTION today and GiddyUp!
Paul White is a guest columnist and author. Purchase his life-changing book “The Answer Discovery – How to Change the World by Helping Others…and Ourselves” at http://bit.ly/PaulWhiteAmazon. If you’re interested in getting in touch with Paul, please submit an inquiry via our Contact Page.