The tiresome cycle of busy

Jane Austen once wrote, “Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.” It’s true, you know. When we get too busy our priorities can tend to go awry. Then our relationships begin to suffer.

Have you noticed that when you have a lot to do, you spend less time with the people you love? Maybe you can’t make it to your kid’s games, or recitals. Date night gets postponed, and then cancelled. Phone calls to your parents get forgotten. And the list can go on.

It’s also possible to be too busy being social and relational. You are busy having fun with your friends and/or family that your school work suffers, or you are starting to set a pattern of being late to work. When the requirements of life go by the wayside, it’s time to get those priorities defined and aligned.

Do you see yourself, or someone you know, in any of the above scenarios? Have you even noticed that perhaps you’ve become too busy?

Stop – right now, just for a minute.

What did you do today? Did you do something that really mattered to someone today? If so… Good for you! If not… why not? Were you too busy focusing on things that seemed important, or urgent, at the moment, but in the grand scheme of things… well, may not have been that big a deal and may have taken time away from something (or someone) that really mattered?

How can you get back on track?

• Recognize you have become “too” busy

• Consider everything you do, and everything you want to (or should) be doing

• Prioritize!

• Make a plan

• Set that new plan in motion

• Re-evaluate as needed

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It may not be quite that easy, but it can be done. Remember, “If it’s important you’ll find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse.” Find a way.