If you are anything like me, you revel in the idea and practice of the “I am too busy” lifestyle. I take comfort in the idea of ALWAYS having something to do. The Proverb “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop” resonates with me more than I’ll ever admit.
I am currently a full-time college student, personal trainer, powerlifting coach, facility manager at a recreation center, and an assistant for a scholarship community. My side hustles include training myself for powerlifting competitions, meal prepping, practicing my faith, and occasionally writing.
Free time is taboo in my life and I almost enjoy pushing my limits too far, weekly. When a time slot opens up in my 5 am to 10 pm schedule, I fill it with homework, exercise, or some other task that I added to my schedule but definitely didn’t have time for.
Despite this hectic and absurd lifestyle of busyness, it is the most unproductive practice I could be subjecting myself to and here’s why:
1. The “I am too busy” lifestyle doesn’t leave time for your true passions.
I wake up early, train clients, eat breakfast, and continue my day running from task to class to work and so on. I have absolutely no time or room for creativity. I find joy in taking a moment with a good book or thinking about my future career in more creative ways. When I am running around with my head cut off, I don’t have time to think about and expand on ideas that come to me. I want to write a book, dabble in some public speaking, and expand my strength coaching skills but I haven’t given time to any of these things because I am “too busy.”
2. Being overwhelmed is an understatement.
Every night I come home from school and work drained of all energy. I meal prep for the next day, prepare my clothes and books, and set my head straight before going to bed. However, when this practice falls short, so do I. If I am too tired or too overwhelmed from the day, my meal prep doesn’t get done, my mindset doesn’t get reset, and I feel exhausted to no end. In these moments, I lose my focus, I lose all productivity, and I frankly don’t care about anything except an extra hour or two in my bed.
3. My social relationships lack and I suffer because of it.
Human interaction is a warm and welcoming aspect of life. Interacting with another human being on a personal level increases feelings of belonging and love. Choosing your hustle over a night of partying with friends is perfectly normal and, sometimes, even a gift. However, at some point, interacting with your closest family and friends is crucial to not only maintain those relationships but feel the connection of another human being. Being too busy is a faucet to basically ostracize myself from the relationships that have entered my life. Some of my closest friends are amazing individuals whom I can learn so much from if only I had more time for them.
4. Burnout is a harsh reality to face almost every week.
Being busy from 5 am -10 pm results in burnout in a very quick fashion. This leads to bad eating habits, skipping important things on my schedule, and feelings of anxiety/depression because I can’t “do it all.” I am very passionate about all of the things on my schedule, I am just too impatient to start one or two of those things at a later date instead of adding them all at the same time.
Every day I learn something new about myself with this lifestyle. Some people can manage to carry 10 plates at a time in a messy but doable way and others manage to carry 1 or 2 plates in a very impressive fashion. By being exceedingly busy, I learn very quickly what works for me and what doesn’t. I am able to pinpoint those activities I prioritize and enjoy and those activities that my life could do without. I am able to find what makes me happy to get out of bed at 4 am and what makes me want to sleep in until ten. For now, the hustle of the “I am too busy” lifestyle will continue, but I am aware of the consequences it places in my life. I am human just like anyone else and I need breaks and I need a lot of self-love. I am a work in progress and while I believe I will always crave a busy lifestyle, I also believe that this lifestyle is a means to a life of trial and error to find those things that drive my creativity and fuel my happiness and inner peace. In the end, you can’t stay busy doing things that take you away from the direction of your goals and still expect to achieve them.