Gosh darn, let’s do away with all the busy already. OK?
47 thoughts on “Gosh darn, let’s do away with all the busy already. OK?”
I’m just busy in general! The one thing that falls on the way side when I’m busy is my health. My eating, exercise and sleep! {what’s sleep?!} it’s seem managing a household of 6, working full time and coaching takes up a lot of my time! I did hire a cleaner and I could kiss her the days I come home to fresh sheets!
I’ll kiss anyone that gives me fresh sheets. Anyone!
Haha! “…and the consequential toilet breaks..” Too funny! It’s just nuts right? I keep looking for ways to slow it all down too. Zenhabits has some awesome advice and my lovely sister in law shares some great tips over at slowyourhome.com. Xx
I love that you posted this – yesterday I wrote about how NOT busy I am and that has translated to me feeling uninspired. While I’m wanting to be busier, it’s nice to remember that the grass isn’t always greener 😉
if you put baking powder, just one tablespoon, in with your white laundry and the detergent, it’ll all be white again – that’s how I’ve been doing my whites for years; cheap, no chemicals, and due to my love for baking, I always have a stash of baking powder at home anyway 🙂 by the way: I hate it when my apartment gets dusty. but when I’m finally done with work I don’t wanna spend all my free time cleaning! I’d love to be relaxed enough to be able to watch one tv show episode just from beginning to end, but I even seem to be too busy for that, every two minutes a “to-do” pops up in my head and I do the laundry, then sit back down. then I remember I hadn’t had enough water, so I get up and get a glass. ten minutes later – I have to pee. two minutes later: I remember that the custom bag I sewed that day needs to be packed. could I do that after the episode? yes. but no, cause I can’t seem to just RELAX for a minute, scared I will forget EVERYTHING. crazy.
oh, you can even wash all your laundry, color and whites, together with the paking powder, and the whites will get white again and it doesn’t do anything to the colors! yay! time and money – saved.
Thank you for that tip Ida. I hate dusting and vacuuming.
I try not to be busy and make time for all the little things. Like a day out with a friend and taking the time to chat to my daughters when they return home from school. I try and schedule my day to have a little time for me whether it be at lunch time and watch Ellen. I make that time as she makes me smile and no matter what mood I am in I am always feeling better and continue on in the afternoon with a new lease of happiness and get up and go. I am also the type of person who replies to text messages ASAP or as soon as I see them come through. I have routined my day to make sure that I have time foe the pleasurable things in life as well as the day to day.
I really enjoyed reading this post you have given me food for thought on the need to change the way we work if the opportunity prevails.
I really enjoyed this post!! Currently I am trying to balance study, work and me/social time. Naturally this means work and study take over*sigh* but I am working on managing it!! Hope your busy feels less busy soon 😀
Just a quick side note; James and I send those text messages. And I am so glad that I have backed them all up, not deleted a single one. Except, he is like you and will give me a short reply, especially when he is at work; whilst I will reply something long and lovely. If he receives it and he knows I have already started work, he won’t always reply because the moment will be gone. I explained that I don’t care if the ‘moment’ is gone, the text will bring it back. I explained that I love my sweet messages from him. The randomness. The love.
But back to your post. Busy. I was at the point where I didn’t feel that I stopped.
I was working full time, an eight and a half hour day; but them coming home and trying to do everything for We Heart Life too. Reply to emails or social media or comments; then add in the updating required; making sure a post was ready to go the next day; proof-reading said post, which admittedly didn’t always happen; as well as posting things to social media. And the list goes on.
Forget my own personal blog; let alone a life.
So I did something that I haven’t regretted since. I closed We Heart Life.
I feel like I have time and I don’t have this weight hanging over me.
Sometimes our lives get busy for a reason; but there are things we can do to change that. Just like you said, your to do list didn’t triple just because you went and played.
Life is meant to be enjoyed and savoured, right? Not rushed through.
Carly – I loved i heart life but i love hearing its better without it 🙂 xxx
It is a lot better since I stopped working on it. Thanks Amanda xx
I went mad at my kids this morning. They were fed up of the same old same old, get up, get breakfast, get dressed, get bags, get out. Both my girls refused to get ready. There was a lot of shouting. It was horrible. Still, the kids got to school on time, with clothes on. Then I had to get the toddler back in the car, and she wouldn’t go. She shouted, she screamed, she kicked, and I felt like doing all of that, but I didn’t (well not the kicking anyway). Once she was in the car seat I drove out of town, didn’t do my messages, just went out with my little girl for coffee and cake, hung out with some bunnies, and played in the park. It was lovely, and I’ve been totally inspired since, and have got lots more done than usual! Hoorah for some time off. 🙂 Miss my cleaner though!
I love this post, even as someone who busy people outsource to! You can always take the time to stop. The world wont end, but you will feel happier for it. x
That man of yours is a keeper Chantelle. He adores you!! He’s a lucky man to have you in his life and you are oh so right. Let’s stop with the busy and take time to smell the dandelions!! xoxo
Eat lunch or use the toilet? I probably only have time to choose one. This post is so timely! I have been feeling that anxiety of being busy, and worrying about whichever thing I’m NOT currently doing, instead of focusing on what I am doing. When I finally found time to talk to my husband it turns out he feels the same way. Somethings got to give, I work, study at Uni and we don’t use daycare, but instead I work on my husbands day off so that there is always one of us with the baby and to do the school run. However since the beginning of the year I have taken a photo everyday for the fmsphotoaday challenge and it reminds me to be in the moment, even if my “I want” photo ended up being about how I wanted a day to not have anything on my to-do list!
I know someone who is always too busy. Too busy running her business, too busy to take her kids to sports, too busy to remember birthdays, too busy to remember what age her neices and nephews are for xmas gifts, too busy to attend any family events, too busy to meet for dinner without being 2 hours late, too busy to see her husband is struggling to hold the fort. And it broke my heart when one of her kids asked ME why they hadn’t seen me for ages. I think I’ve given up.
It’s stupid that busy is the new black. Working for yourself – like you and I do – means no fall back in that department. Over the past 12 months though I’ve started finding ways in which other people can help with the business-y stuff. It’s really helped me to concentrate on the bits that are important.
love your comment about busy being the new black Nikki 🙂
I hear you loud an clear! But this week I’ve been forced to not be busy due to surgery and its amazing!! I miss not being able to cuddle Minty cos I can’t lift her and she will kick my guts that have 4 little stab wounds, but I haven’t been able to do really anything!! The drugs have made me so dopey I can’t email well, I can’t cook cos I can’t stand longer than 3 minutes, I can’t bath kids, or do washing….I feel bad my husband has to do it all…but not really! We share responsibility with our business and home life so it helps to have a smoother day! But right now doing nothing but reading blogs and watching gossip girl from season one has been heaven! Plus being high on painkillers has also be nice haha I’m looking forward to clearer thoughts soon tho!
And u are right… The world hast once ended and I kind of think its not going to happen and that makes me think its cool to slow down! If I can sit on my bed for an entire week and seriously do nothing and things still run, then everyone can take more time!
Great read lovely xx
Too many people use “busy” as an excuse to be unkind to others. But I guess personally I am too busy to feel guilty any more about not being busy enough.
You will laugh to hear I am uploading some CDs into iTunes, an audiobook called ‘Buddhism For Busy People’ which I’ve had for a while but been TOO BUSY to upload before. Hahaha… I’m a dope.
I completely agree with you. I’ve got a busyness prolblem which is long-standing and completely self-induced, sort of… four kids is alot but I totally add in so much other stuff. It’s just that I’m interested in EVERYTHING… have learned that life is long and I don’t need to do everything immediately, but often have to check myself.
Blogging is good for me as there’s no need to do it, if days are missed… no disasters before. Love the flexibility.
I had a chuckle at your comment. I love the flexibility of blogging, but I still feel disappointed if I haven’t done what I expected of myself. x
We’re all so busy. But we’ve created that busy. And a lot of it could be done away with.
Wow, this is a very relevant post for me today!! 🙂
I am always “Busy” ….. but, just this morning my 3yo asked for a treat because he cried only a little bit at his swimming lesson {compared to crying for the WHOLE lesson in the last few weeks}. I asked him what treat he wanted and he replied “Go to the dinosaurs” {museum of tropical Qld} I started to say no, we didnt have time ….. and thought, why not? What is soooo important that we couldnt mark this simple milestone with a couple of hours wandering round a museum? So we went and we had an absolute blast!!! We had cake and juice overlooking the yatch club half way thru and purchased a T-Rex from the gift store on the way out. The museum is free to locals so it wasnt even a very expensive treat! 🙂
Totally going to follow this example more from now on!
I hate the busy thing. In my day job it feels like all people do is compete to be busier than each other, yet I happily stroll out the door at 4pm every day to enjoy my life. I really don’t fit in there!
Too busy * roll eyes* I’m usually too busy to sit and read a book (real one) for myself but i’ve been trying to change that – I agreed to review a few. (PS I saw a great giveaway for colour catchers to save time sorting washing and stop clothes greying…Jac @ Common chaos chronicles)
Great post! At the moment I am busy with my newborn so don’t seem to have much time for anything else.
Fabulous post! Often it feels like “how are you?” has become a greeting “Really busy” has become the standard reply. Like you, I took a break on the weekend and in the end had a bundle of lovely memories with my little ones to treasure and a few new photos to post. The to-do list on the other hand remained the same. What I wish I had time for would be reading, I miss it so.
So true! In The Netherlands, there are a lot of commercials that equal being busy or having a lack of sleep to a succesful life right now. I hate that so much! I used to have a standard lack of space in my dayplanner (an old school paper one) because I enjoy everything and want to miss nothing. It took me a couple of years to figure it out, but I’m much happier in life when I make choices and take time for things that really matter to me. And it gives people a chance to miss you at events and tell you so, always good for the confidence 😉
‘we need to stop with this busy crap, don’t we’ …amen to that…to me it’s a dirty word and anyone telling me how busy they are gets at the least an inward eyeroll. whenever i get that head exploding feeling i step off the merry go round for a bit and make no apologies for it because I don’t like to loose sight of my number one priorities, my kids, my hubby and (yes) myself. great post! Tatum xx
I think about all the things I used to do that I don’t do very often anymore because of the business and I miss them. Hubby and I have a discussion about this regularly, when we can’t seem to make time for each other until after 10pm (not our best time of day) Not quite sure what the answer is – Do the important stuff first (I know, there’s even too much important stuff). I like Steven Covey’s ideas. Have you ever listened to/read his books? I recommend.
Busy has gotten a dirty name, but sometimes I don’t know what to call it. Can I say I am busy if it cuts into my family and me time, because I feel like people I know think that is expendable time… and, as far as I am concerned, it it not. I also thnk that technology adds to this feeling of business because everything is so immediate. I have to admit that sometimes going off the grid sounds lovely.
I think that technology has a big role in the busy.
We’re expected to be contactable immediately {if not sooner}. Remember the days when you only had a home phone, and people couldn’t get in touch with at their own convenience.
That’s one thing I struggled with, people thinking that they had access to me whenever they wanted. My phone is for my convenience, not theirs – so if I don’t answer it – that’s OK. {Well, with me anyway}.
I think living online I need to really take some time each week to unplug for a bit. I think that’s what feels exhausting about it all. I dream of a day when I unplug for an extended period and don’t get anxious!
I’m too busy to go to the gym 🙁 but there’s another side of my “busy life”, I try to make at least one evening every week free of everything else, and do nothing after dinner than lie in bed watching tv or reading a book. So I might say I’m busy but one day a week that means “busy taking time off and spending some me-time”..
I personally love this post Chantelle. I always say that “I’m busy being busy”. I go from one thing to the next and wear myself out. This particular week was the public holiday in VIC and Tuesday was convientely a Curriculum day at school. I could have taken Eve (7yo) to work with me and kept my 3yo in daycare but I decided to take her out, and I took the girls swimming, out for lunch and had an afternoon nap together. It was an impromptu day off and we enjoyed it.
“Busy” is just another excuse for “I don’t want to see you” or “I don’t want to hang out with you” or “I didn’t want to email/text you” or “I don’t really think of you as a friend; I don’t really like you that much”.
Also, as a single girl I only hang out with other singles now. It’s just gets ‘tiring’ getting dumped by your girlfriends who need to spend 24/7 with their boyfriends or husbands. Couples only seem to have time to hang out with other couples and parents only seem to have time to hang out with other parents.
Such a great post. I am always thinking about what I could do less of, so I could do the things I enjoyed more of. Of course, I am on long service leave, so there’s more time for cooking, playing with the kids, and renovating. Of course, I’m still busy. But it’s a busy rhythm that I don’t really mind. I think that we need to stop every once in a while and take five. You know, like this post: realise what’s really important, and just stop it. I think it’s in our nature to be busy like ants and so we lean this way more and more. But taking stock is just as important so we keep our priorities straight. xxx
i realized when i was 28 that i was always too busy, constantly running from one thing to another, having coffee with one friend and minding the time to meet another friend. and then i just stopped.
for years now, i give myself one busy week per month – when i run from one thing to another and the rest of the time i do one or two things per day and enjoy each of them relaxed. and yes, cleaning lady comes once or twice a week – it’s worth the peace of mind.
I read this the other day and it prompted me to read through all of the messages that my husband and best friend of 25 years had written to each other since I got my iphone in 2010 – no agreement had been made on this, it just happened. It took me a while, three years is a lot of life to get through, and even through the grief moments (the deaths of my dad, our young friend Cam, our labrador Bess), the scary times (his mum and my sister fighting cancer, my other sister’s heart surgery) and the angry moments (done and dusted), I was so pleased to find that mostly, and even through the harder times, it read like a love story, interspersed with ‘good mornings’ and ‘cant wait for you to get homes’ and silly photos of ourselves in the times we have had to be apart overnight due to work and photo’s of the dogs and friends when either one of us couldnt be present. I am so glad I read through it because yesterday when I was trying to juggle way too many things (busy, busy, busy) while I got through my front door after a day out with close girlfriends (phone, iPad, handbag, ALL the shopping – it was raining – my funny little blue heeler yipping for a pat, as well as a very strong urge to get to the toilet, and of course the key just wouldnt hold at the right angle to get into the hole in the door) I accidently erased the lot. I didnt know until I sat down 10 minutes later to respond to the last message he had written to me moments before I got home, and I burst into tears – our little story lost. After letting him know that this had happened, we made a commitment to write each other daily, set aside a little time each day to write a message, purposefully. Today, and now that the tears have cleared, all I can say is that Im glad I read this post a couple of days ago. If I hadnt, I wouldnt have known how important it is to slow down and take time and tell those that you love, that you love them. Thanks Chantelle
Marg no! so sorry, but how special that you had read through them, I’m doing this, I’m so doing this. Thanks for sharing x
I find the whole busy thing so mundane, we all have choices. If you are busy with childrens sport and activities, its your choice, you’re the parent, you sign them up to these things. Stop it if its too much. I was too busy, so I said no, I cut a day from work and took the small child out of childcare. Mummy and Ava days are so special! Everyone is busy – so lets just talk about something eles?
Well said! x
Amen! I’ve been exhausted lately because I’ve been so ‘busy’..: But none of it was *must do* stuff. I was even ‘too busy’ to keep up with my photo a day for March… the shame!
Oh and I don’t even have kids (well I only have 2 furry ones) so go figure! Time to settle for a slowdown 🙂
No, Im busy! LOL I have tried to fit more in thinking Im just whinging or do less as Im really tired and know theres ment to be more to life. All ends the same – the list does not end….ever! It used to be that I would vaguely get to the end of a list. Nope not anymore! Sad but true. I dont glorify it. I just try to remember, do, manuvoever, juggle, delegate and sail the white water river that is my life without going under unnoticed (until someones lunch isnt there or the soccer form needs filling out or someone needs the next shoe size up or that plant needs watering or the smear on the wall needs cleaning or the paperwork pile is soooo big that it falls over and really must be dealt with or….).
If I may be so bold, please take the minute to text your husband a word or two. Even a heart. How would you feel if he ignored a heartfelt gesture?
Ever since writing this post I’ve changed a lot of things. I say no, I take time out, I haven’t once said I’m too busy and I text my husband back – and sometimes I even text him kind/lovely/sweet things first. Funny how a post can change so much!
I’m just busy in general! The one thing that falls on the way side when I’m busy is my health. My eating, exercise and sleep! {what’s sleep?!} it’s seem managing a household of 6, working full time and coaching takes up a lot of my time! I did hire a cleaner and I could kiss her the days I come home to fresh sheets!
I’ll kiss anyone that gives me fresh sheets. Anyone!
Haha! “…and the consequential toilet breaks..” Too funny! It’s just nuts right? I keep looking for ways to slow it all down too. Zenhabits has some awesome advice and my lovely sister in law shares some great tips over at slowyourhome.com. Xx
I love that you posted this – yesterday I wrote about how NOT busy I am and that has translated to me feeling uninspired. While I’m wanting to be busier, it’s nice to remember that the grass isn’t always greener 😉
if you put baking powder, just one tablespoon, in with your white laundry and the detergent, it’ll all be white again – that’s how I’ve been doing my whites for years; cheap, no chemicals, and due to my love for baking, I always have a stash of baking powder at home anyway 🙂 by the way: I hate it when my apartment gets dusty. but when I’m finally done with work I don’t wanna spend all my free time cleaning! I’d love to be relaxed enough to be able to watch one tv show episode just from beginning to end, but I even seem to be too busy for that, every two minutes a “to-do” pops up in my head and I do the laundry, then sit back down. then I remember I hadn’t had enough water, so I get up and get a glass. ten minutes later – I have to pee. two minutes later: I remember that the custom bag I sewed that day needs to be packed. could I do that after the episode? yes. but no, cause I can’t seem to just RELAX for a minute, scared I will forget EVERYTHING. crazy.
oh, you can even wash all your laundry, color and whites, together with the paking powder, and the whites will get white again and it doesn’t do anything to the colors! yay! time and money – saved.
Thank you for that tip Ida. I hate dusting and vacuuming.
I try not to be busy and make time for all the little things. Like a day out with a friend and taking the time to chat to my daughters when they return home from school. I try and schedule my day to have a little time for me whether it be at lunch time and watch Ellen. I make that time as she makes me smile and no matter what mood I am in I am always feeling better and continue on in the afternoon with a new lease of happiness and get up and go. I am also the type of person who replies to text messages ASAP or as soon as I see them come through. I have routined my day to make sure that I have time foe the pleasurable things in life as well as the day to day.
I really enjoyed reading this post you have given me food for thought on the need to change the way we work if the opportunity prevails.
I really enjoyed this post!! Currently I am trying to balance study, work and me/social time. Naturally this means work and study take over*sigh* but I am working on managing it!! Hope your busy feels less busy soon 😀
Just a quick side note; James and I send those text messages. And I am so glad that I have backed them all up, not deleted a single one. Except, he is like you and will give me a short reply, especially when he is at work; whilst I will reply something long and lovely. If he receives it and he knows I have already started work, he won’t always reply because the moment will be gone. I explained that I don’t care if the ‘moment’ is gone, the text will bring it back. I explained that I love my sweet messages from him. The randomness. The love.
But back to your post. Busy. I was at the point where I didn’t feel that I stopped.
I was working full time, an eight and a half hour day; but them coming home and trying to do everything for We Heart Life too. Reply to emails or social media or comments; then add in the updating required; making sure a post was ready to go the next day; proof-reading said post, which admittedly didn’t always happen; as well as posting things to social media. And the list goes on.
Forget my own personal blog; let alone a life.
So I did something that I haven’t regretted since. I closed We Heart Life.
I feel like I have time and I don’t have this weight hanging over me.
Sometimes our lives get busy for a reason; but there are things we can do to change that. Just like you said, your to do list didn’t triple just because you went and played.
Life is meant to be enjoyed and savoured, right? Not rushed through.
Carly – I loved i heart life but i love hearing its better without it 🙂 xxx
It is a lot better since I stopped working on it. Thanks Amanda xx
I went mad at my kids this morning. They were fed up of the same old same old, get up, get breakfast, get dressed, get bags, get out. Both my girls refused to get ready. There was a lot of shouting. It was horrible. Still, the kids got to school on time, with clothes on. Then I had to get the toddler back in the car, and she wouldn’t go. She shouted, she screamed, she kicked, and I felt like doing all of that, but I didn’t (well not the kicking anyway). Once she was in the car seat I drove out of town, didn’t do my messages, just went out with my little girl for coffee and cake, hung out with some bunnies, and played in the park. It was lovely, and I’ve been totally inspired since, and have got lots more done than usual! Hoorah for some time off. 🙂 Miss my cleaner though!
I love this post, even as someone who busy people outsource to! You can always take the time to stop. The world wont end, but you will feel happier for it. x
That man of yours is a keeper Chantelle. He adores you!! He’s a lucky man to have you in his life and you are oh so right. Let’s stop with the busy and take time to smell the dandelions!! xoxo
Eat lunch or use the toilet? I probably only have time to choose one. This post is so timely! I have been feeling that anxiety of being busy, and worrying about whichever thing I’m NOT currently doing, instead of focusing on what I am doing. When I finally found time to talk to my husband it turns out he feels the same way. Somethings got to give, I work, study at Uni and we don’t use daycare, but instead I work on my husbands day off so that there is always one of us with the baby and to do the school run. However since the beginning of the year I have taken a photo everyday for the fmsphotoaday challenge and it reminds me to be in the moment, even if my “I want” photo ended up being about how I wanted a day to not have anything on my to-do list!
I know someone who is always too busy. Too busy running her business, too busy to take her kids to sports, too busy to remember birthdays, too busy to remember what age her neices and nephews are for xmas gifts, too busy to attend any family events, too busy to meet for dinner without being 2 hours late, too busy to see her husband is struggling to hold the fort. And it broke my heart when one of her kids asked ME why they hadn’t seen me for ages. I think I’ve given up.
It’s stupid that busy is the new black. Working for yourself – like you and I do – means no fall back in that department. Over the past 12 months though I’ve started finding ways in which other people can help with the business-y stuff. It’s really helped me to concentrate on the bits that are important.
love your comment about busy being the new black Nikki 🙂
I hear you loud an clear! But this week I’ve been forced to not be busy due to surgery and its amazing!! I miss not being able to cuddle Minty cos I can’t lift her and she will kick my guts that have 4 little stab wounds, but I haven’t been able to do really anything!! The drugs have made me so dopey I can’t email well, I can’t cook cos I can’t stand longer than 3 minutes, I can’t bath kids, or do washing….I feel bad my husband has to do it all…but not really! We share responsibility with our business and home life so it helps to have a smoother day! But right now doing nothing but reading blogs and watching gossip girl from season one has been heaven! Plus being high on painkillers has also be nice haha I’m looking forward to clearer thoughts soon tho!
And u are right… The world hast once ended and I kind of think its not going to happen and that makes me think its cool to slow down! If I can sit on my bed for an entire week and seriously do nothing and things still run, then everyone can take more time!
Great read lovely xx
Too many people use “busy” as an excuse to be unkind to others. But I guess personally I am too busy to feel guilty any more about not being busy enough.
You will laugh to hear I am uploading some CDs into iTunes, an audiobook called ‘Buddhism For Busy People’ which I’ve had for a while but been TOO BUSY to upload before. Hahaha… I’m a dope.
I completely agree with you. I’ve got a busyness prolblem which is long-standing and completely self-induced, sort of… four kids is alot but I totally add in so much other stuff. It’s just that I’m interested in EVERYTHING… have learned that life is long and I don’t need to do everything immediately, but often have to check myself.
Blogging is good for me as there’s no need to do it, if days are missed… no disasters before. Love the flexibility.
I had a chuckle at your comment. I love the flexibility of blogging, but I still feel disappointed if I haven’t done what I expected of myself. x
We’re all so busy. But we’ve created that busy. And a lot of it could be done away with.
Wow, this is a very relevant post for me today!! 🙂
I am always “Busy” ….. but, just this morning my 3yo asked for a treat because he cried only a little bit at his swimming lesson {compared to crying for the WHOLE lesson in the last few weeks}. I asked him what treat he wanted and he replied “Go to the dinosaurs” {museum of tropical Qld} I started to say no, we didnt have time ….. and thought, why not? What is soooo important that we couldnt mark this simple milestone with a couple of hours wandering round a museum? So we went and we had an absolute blast!!! We had cake and juice overlooking the yatch club half way thru and purchased a T-Rex from the gift store on the way out. The museum is free to locals so it wasnt even a very expensive treat! 🙂
Totally going to follow this example more from now on!
I hate the busy thing. In my day job it feels like all people do is compete to be busier than each other, yet I happily stroll out the door at 4pm every day to enjoy my life. I really don’t fit in there!
Too busy * roll eyes* I’m usually too busy to sit and read a book (real one) for myself but i’ve been trying to change that – I agreed to review a few. (PS I saw a great giveaway for colour catchers to save time sorting washing and stop clothes greying…Jac @ Common chaos chronicles)
Great post! At the moment I am busy with my newborn so don’t seem to have much time for anything else.
On an unrelated note – I nominated you for the Very Inspirational Blog Award because I love reading your blog and doing the photo a day – http://alifeonvenus.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/very-inspiring-blogger-award.html
Fabulous post! Often it feels like “how are you?” has become a greeting “Really busy” has become the standard reply. Like you, I took a break on the weekend and in the end had a bundle of lovely memories with my little ones to treasure and a few new photos to post. The to-do list on the other hand remained the same. What I wish I had time for would be reading, I miss it so.
So true! In The Netherlands, there are a lot of commercials that equal being busy or having a lack of sleep to a succesful life right now. I hate that so much! I used to have a standard lack of space in my dayplanner (an old school paper one) because I enjoy everything and want to miss nothing. It took me a couple of years to figure it out, but I’m much happier in life when I make choices and take time for things that really matter to me. And it gives people a chance to miss you at events and tell you so, always good for the confidence 😉
‘we need to stop with this busy crap, don’t we’ …amen to that…to me it’s a dirty word and anyone telling me how busy they are gets at the least an inward eyeroll. whenever i get that head exploding feeling i step off the merry go round for a bit and make no apologies for it because I don’t like to loose sight of my number one priorities, my kids, my hubby and (yes) myself. great post! Tatum xx
I think about all the things I used to do that I don’t do very often anymore because of the business and I miss them. Hubby and I have a discussion about this regularly, when we can’t seem to make time for each other until after 10pm (not our best time of day) Not quite sure what the answer is – Do the important stuff first (I know, there’s even too much important stuff). I like Steven Covey’s ideas. Have you ever listened to/read his books? I recommend.
Busy has gotten a dirty name, but sometimes I don’t know what to call it. Can I say I am busy if it cuts into my family and me time, because I feel like people I know think that is expendable time… and, as far as I am concerned, it it not. I also thnk that technology adds to this feeling of business because everything is so immediate. I have to admit that sometimes going off the grid sounds lovely.
I think that technology has a big role in the busy.
We’re expected to be contactable immediately {if not sooner}. Remember the days when you only had a home phone, and people couldn’t get in touch with at their own convenience.
That’s one thing I struggled with, people thinking that they had access to me whenever they wanted. My phone is for my convenience, not theirs – so if I don’t answer it – that’s OK. {Well, with me anyway}.
I think living online I need to really take some time each week to unplug for a bit. I think that’s what feels exhausting about it all. I dream of a day when I unplug for an extended period and don’t get anxious!
I’m too busy to go to the gym 🙁 but there’s another side of my “busy life”, I try to make at least one evening every week free of everything else, and do nothing after dinner than lie in bed watching tv or reading a book. So I might say I’m busy but one day a week that means “busy taking time off and spending some me-time”..
I personally love this post Chantelle. I always say that “I’m busy being busy”. I go from one thing to the next and wear myself out. This particular week was the public holiday in VIC and Tuesday was convientely a Curriculum day at school. I could have taken Eve (7yo) to work with me and kept my 3yo in daycare but I decided to take her out, and I took the girls swimming, out for lunch and had an afternoon nap together. It was an impromptu day off and we enjoyed it.
“Busy” is just another excuse for “I don’t want to see you” or “I don’t want to hang out with you” or “I didn’t want to email/text you” or “I don’t really think of you as a friend; I don’t really like you that much”.
Also, as a single girl I only hang out with other singles now. It’s just gets ‘tiring’ getting dumped by your girlfriends who need to spend 24/7 with their boyfriends or husbands. Couples only seem to have time to hang out with other couples and parents only seem to have time to hang out with other parents.
Such a great post. I am always thinking about what I could do less of, so I could do the things I enjoyed more of. Of course, I am on long service leave, so there’s more time for cooking, playing with the kids, and renovating. Of course, I’m still busy. But it’s a busy rhythm that I don’t really mind. I think that we need to stop every once in a while and take five. You know, like this post: realise what’s really important, and just stop it. I think it’s in our nature to be busy like ants and so we lean this way more and more. But taking stock is just as important so we keep our priorities straight. xxx
i realized when i was 28 that i was always too busy, constantly running from one thing to another, having coffee with one friend and minding the time to meet another friend. and then i just stopped.
for years now, i give myself one busy week per month – when i run from one thing to another and the rest of the time i do one or two things per day and enjoy each of them relaxed. and yes, cleaning lady comes once or twice a week – it’s worth the peace of mind.
I read this the other day and it prompted me to read through all of the messages that my husband and best friend of 25 years had written to each other since I got my iphone in 2010 – no agreement had been made on this, it just happened. It took me a while, three years is a lot of life to get through, and even through the grief moments (the deaths of my dad, our young friend Cam, our labrador Bess), the scary times (his mum and my sister fighting cancer, my other sister’s heart surgery) and the angry moments (done and dusted), I was so pleased to find that mostly, and even through the harder times, it read like a love story, interspersed with ‘good mornings’ and ‘cant wait for you to get homes’ and silly photos of ourselves in the times we have had to be apart overnight due to work and photo’s of the dogs and friends when either one of us couldnt be present. I am so glad I read through it because yesterday when I was trying to juggle way too many things (busy, busy, busy) while I got through my front door after a day out with close girlfriends (phone, iPad, handbag, ALL the shopping – it was raining – my funny little blue heeler yipping for a pat, as well as a very strong urge to get to the toilet, and of course the key just wouldnt hold at the right angle to get into the hole in the door) I accidently erased the lot. I didnt know until I sat down 10 minutes later to respond to the last message he had written to me moments before I got home, and I burst into tears – our little story lost. After letting him know that this had happened, we made a commitment to write each other daily, set aside a little time each day to write a message, purposefully. Today, and now that the tears have cleared, all I can say is that Im glad I read this post a couple of days ago. If I hadnt, I wouldnt have known how important it is to slow down and take time and tell those that you love, that you love them. Thanks Chantelle
Marg no! so sorry, but how special that you had read through them, I’m doing this, I’m so doing this. Thanks for sharing x
I find the whole busy thing so mundane, we all have choices. If you are busy with childrens sport and activities, its your choice, you’re the parent, you sign them up to these things. Stop it if its too much. I was too busy, so I said no, I cut a day from work and took the small child out of childcare. Mummy and Ava days are so special! Everyone is busy – so lets just talk about something eles?
Well said! x
Amen! I’ve been exhausted lately because I’ve been so ‘busy’..: But none of it was *must do* stuff. I was even ‘too busy’ to keep up with my photo a day for March… the shame!
Oh and I don’t even have kids (well I only have 2 furry ones) so go figure! Time to settle for a slowdown 🙂
No, Im busy! LOL I have tried to fit more in thinking Im just whinging or do less as Im really tired and know theres ment to be more to life. All ends the same – the list does not end….ever! It used to be that I would vaguely get to the end of a list. Nope not anymore! Sad but true. I dont glorify it. I just try to remember, do, manuvoever, juggle, delegate and sail the white water river that is my life without going under unnoticed (until someones lunch isnt there or the soccer form needs filling out or someone needs the next shoe size up or that plant needs watering or the smear on the wall needs cleaning or the paperwork pile is soooo big that it falls over and really must be dealt with or….).
If I may be so bold, please take the minute to text your husband a word or two. Even a heart. How would you feel if he ignored a heartfelt gesture?
Ever since writing this post I’ve changed a lot of things. I say no, I take time out, I haven’t once said I’m too busy and I text my husband back – and sometimes I even text him kind/lovely/sweet things first. Funny how a post can change so much!