A lot of the people I interact with these days, whether they’re friends, clients, or random dudes/dudettes I meet at the bar, say that they are “busy”.
Me: How have you been?
Them: (sigh…) Busy!
They say it with both pride and exasperation, as if they want you to know how annoyed they are about having so much stuff to do all the time. So much stuff that they both can’t get anything done, and they don’t have any free time to do the things that they really want to do — like hang out with me for example (Just kidding. Nobody wants to hang out with me.)
I hate it when people tell me that they are busy. I don’t understand how everyone can be so busy all the time. And if you are “too busy”, which I supposed is a possibility, but you don’t want to be “too busy”, there is a very simple solution. Just stop taking on so much stuff. Learn to say no. You most likely don’t want to do eighty-five percent of the things that are on your plate anyways. It’s a win-win situation. You’ll be less busy and you won’t have to do a bunch of stupid crap that you don’t want to do.
I’m one of the least busy people I know. I love being not busy. It’s great. Why is everyone always so much busier than me? It’s one of life’s great mysteries.
Being busy is not a requirement for a fulfilled life. I would argue that being busy all the time makes your life worse. People need to time to fart around. Farting around is good for you.
Being busy is a choice. It’s a lousy way to live if you ask me.
I subscribe to James Clear’s newsletter 3-2-1 Thursday. In this week’s edition he included this quote from Debbie Millman (world class designer and podcast host)
“Busy is a decision. We do the things we want to do, period. If we say we are too busy, it is just shorthand for the thing being “not important enough” or “not a priority.” Busy is not a badge. You don’t find the time to make things, you make the time to do things.”
That’s the end of my rant. Have a hamburger day!
