Are you too busy to just be?

I recently watched a short film I came across on social media. It was called "If I were a young woman now" and features mature women discussing the lifestyles of young women today. One of the women in the video says "Believe me, if I were a young woman now, I would spend more time being, not doing". 

 

In recent research, 4 out of 5 women say they put too much pressure on themselves. And it's not just women who seem to be so busy. Men too find themselves saying "I'm too busy....", "I'm too tired...". This got me to thinking about our busy lives and what being busy stops us being. 

 

When we're busy: 

 

- We don't have time to think straight, and we react instead of thinking things through 

- We're never just present in the moment, enjoying what each of those moments bring 

- We miss opportunities, instead we just see them as distractions 

- We make excuses for problems instead of dealing with them, and then they get worse 

- We forget to look after ourselves - physically and emotionally 

- We no longer dream about the future, things we'd like to achieve, things we long to do 

- We're not there for the people who need us 

- We forget to make time for and keep in touch with friends 

- We don't make the time to do ….. nothing