MM: The Glorification of Busy

12/14/15

We live in a world that resents the idea of rest. Countless studies confirm that we are addicted to caffeine, obsessed with finding the newest trends, and are consumed with an on-the-go lifestyle. For a while this kind of exhausting pace is doable, but eventually a new reality sets in.

You can't always go 100 miles an hour.

To me, this sort of obsession with a fast-paced lifestyle has resulted in a glorification of busy. How many times last week did you tell your family or friends you were stressed or busy? We carry on conversations that revolve around feeling busy, stressed, and ultimately exhausted, and then congratulate the busiest people as if they've earned some sort of award. But the fact is, no matter how hard we try to stuff our schedules, life requires us to pause. And sometimes we find ourselves in a period of downtime when projects are at a standstill and new ideas are absent.

Our immediate response to downtime tends to be to just drink another cup of coffee, pick up something new and push through it. In a culture obsessed with the glorification of busy, these voids can far too easily begin to feel like failures, making us feel as though we're not doing enough. This feeling is a lie.

As much as our culture fails to address this lie, these downtimes are part of the natural pattern of life, and they exist to prepare you for the next adventure. The traffic has stopped. There’s nothing you can do but hang on and wait for things to resume.

As I look back on the past year and how our company has grown, I see this glorification of busy represented in my own life. All too often I find myself “too stressed”, “too tired” and “too overwhelmed.” And I hear the same statements from people around me. It’s time to put an end to it once and for all.

I want to invite you to take a stand, especially as we approach the holidays. Put down that third cup of coffee and stop to embrace the slowness. Sip your tea, savor your food, and stop to smell the roses—literally. Don’t be discouraged when you find yourself in a period of rest. Take advantage of slow days. Use them to build your strength and to learn and listen in ways you couldn’t when life was anxious and exhilarating. Join me in the glorification of rest as you prepare to take some time off this Christmas and learn to enjoy a slower pace.

LATEST INSIGHTS