Dear Reader,

“I am so busy.”

Depending on the culture you were raised in, you might read that as either a boast or complaint. Maybe both.

You don’t need to feel guilty for not being busy

I've always felt an immense pressure to be busy, to be "productive".

As a student, it was to have a robust social life, good grades, and to perform in extracurriculars. As an adult, it was about working hard at my career and dedicating hours to my profession.

Being busy felt like a virtue, while things like leisure and sleep always seemed less important. We receive this messaging in many ways -- most heroes in our favorite movies and shows are hustling, pushing their limits, tireless in their pursuit. We admire people who work hard, who are always doing something.

But is busyness as a value all that great?

In Japanese, the characters for “busy” are made up of the characters for ‘soul’ and ‘loss’. Being busy is quite literally described as a loss of our soul.

心：soul

亡：loss

忙：busy

There are repercussions to always being busy, that we don't often acknowledge. Chronic busyness affects us physically as the stress builds up in our bodies, but mentally, it can also lead to a loss of inspiration and general contentment.

Working hard can be good for us, and I believe in the value of immersing yourself in your goals, but without the balance of rest?

There is little value in productivity or success if it has no soul.

I’ve come to realize that being busy also means losing the space to connect with ourselves, and instead having that space overwhelmed by the pressure of time.

We grow less mindful of how we feel, our purpose, and often, the whole point of why we do anything. Instead we grow more committed to deadlines, tasks, and deliverables that are asked of us. In short bursts being busy is useful, but constant busyness leaves us directionless.

So the next time you feel guilty for not being busy, try reminding yourself that maybe it’s important to not be busy.

In fact, it may be just the valuable thing you needed.

Warmly,

Kaki

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