Being busy can feel good. It also feels safe somehow; if we can just keep forward motion going, we’ll make progress, right? But where are we going? I was busy all day today, all this week, and all this month.
I sometimes move, almost neurotically, from one thing to another as soon as I finish the first thing. No pauses. It’s exhausting, isn’t it?
Being busy shouldn’t count for much. What should count is direction. Are you going in the right direction? If not, you’re busily going even further away from where you want to be. Are you prioritizing the steps to get there? Are you doing work that actually matters, work that helps get you there?
Being busy might actually mean we’re being lazy. Figuring out the work that matters, work that takes you where you really want to go, is the opposite of lazy.
Methodically pausing helps us figure this out. Please, help me to remember to press the pause button. I won’t lose my edge, things won’t fall apart, I won’t let anyone down.
When pausing, really sink into it. There’ll be nothing to do, nothing to solve, it’s simply a moment of pure rest. It just takes the briefest of nudges to remind ourselves to do it. It’s an optimistic thing to do, too. You — and everyone around you — will be better off.
