Busy isn’t in my vocabulary. It used to be until I learned what it actually means. Now whenever someone uses it I actually cringe.
Busy (n): actively and attentively engaged; not at leisure; full of or characterized by activity. It just simply means that you are doing something. But what are you doing? To me, saying that you are busy is saying that you cannot do x because you are or have to do y.
I’m not busy. I don’t want to be classified or identified as a busy person.
It’s nothing to ‘brag or go on rants’ about, yet we see people doing so or using it as an excuse to not do other things. “I’m so busy”. Cool, but what does that really mean? Are you being productive? Are you making the most out of your days? You’re too ‘busy’ to make time for me? Or you think I’m so ‘busy all of the time’ that I don’t know how to make time for you. Interesting……..
People assume you’re “busy” because you always seem to be doing “something.” But really aren’t they just as busy? We all live our own lives and we are all busy by our own definition. We are all actively engaged in some kind of activity every day.
What people misperceive is that some people choose to fill their days with “back to back” plans- spending time with the most influential and important people in their lives, conversations, events, etc. They thrive off of that and they want to continuously grow and be better. It doesn’t mean that what they’re doing is more important than what you’re doing. They can easily cancel a side hustle meeting, just as someone else can easily choose to walk away from their Netflix series they’re so invested in.
Being ‘busy’ has recently received a negative connotation by those that are seen by those that choose to prioritize differently.
I wake up when I have a “busy schedule” and see a productive and exciting day ahead. Some get annoyed or anxious when they have a lot going on, but I’m the opposite. Some will say “how are you always so busy all the time” and I think back with how are you not… but the truth is, we’re both “busy,” we are just choosing to use our time differently based on how we thrive.
Productive (a): achieving or producing a significant amount or result.
Be aware of your word choice because you may not be meaning what you’re actually saying.
It’s a lifestyle. I wake up wondering what more I can add to my schedule so I can end the day feeling accomplished for no one else than myself. Just because you have a packed schedule doesn’t make you better than anyone else, or make you busy. It doesn’t make others lazy because they don’t have their day planned out hour by hour. It’s just a different way of choosing to live and prioritize.
If I’ve learned one thing in during my years in undergrad, it’s that people can have “busy schedules” but could be as productive as someone laying on their couch all day. You can try to brag about all that you do, but let all that you do brag on it’s own without you saying a single word.
People that naturally take on a lot, have to schedule everything in their day, aren’t people that talk negatively about their schedule or how others choose to schedule. They do what they do genuinely because they want to, not because they need to add one more thing to their resume, or have something to tweet about.
Yes, so maybe you have to schedule time to eat with your friends, or catch up.. but does that really show that you’re too busy for them? In actuality, it just shows that some people are worth your time and you make time for what you value, so much that you take time our of your day to plan a block to catch up so you don’t miss out on things you want to allocate your time to.
Next time you tell someone they’re always busy, or something along the lines of that, think about what you’re actually implying. It may not mean all that you intend it to.
Danielle Chylinski 