5 Reasons You’re Addicted to Being Busy

Have you become addicted to being busy?

Perhaps you’re familiar with this scenario: the weekend finally arrives after a long week at work.

It’s time for you to unwind, relax, and do nothing.

However, before 10 a.m. the next day, you’ve already planned a couple of social appointments, ordered a new piece of furniture, and set in motion other plans that will keep you active for days.

Projects, people, and passion can keep us on the move.

Being addicted to being busy and being productive are not the same

Productivity, for example, makes you feel like you do not want to stop.

Busyness, however, makes you feel like you cannot stop.

In both our business and personal lives, there are tools out there that can help us be more productive or just add to the piles of busy work we have in front of us.

Companies and individuals that have overcome these challenges have done so by being strategic about utilizing new technology and communication tools.

Why do we keep ourselves excessively busy?

Well, there are five big reasons we get out of it.

So if you’d rather strive for productivity over busyness while cutting stress out of your work days, consider these five reasons:

Why You Might Be Addicted To Being Busy

1. You’re Afraid To Say No

Don’t be afraid to say no when relatively unimportant tasks take too much time out of your day.

Many people think saying no to a requested task will make them seem like they aren’t team players.

But being able to manage your time wisely and saying no to projects you can’t fulfill is always a smart choice.

Think about it: would you rather complete two top-quality projects this week or rush through multiple different ones dedicating only 40 percent to each one?

If you’re worried your boss will come down hard on you, try to explain how much time you’ll need.

This is so he/she can understand the points you’re drawing from.

Or, at the very least, bring in additional help.

2. You Fulfill The Guilt By Being Busy

Feeling guilty when we actually do take a break is common.

This is especially true during crucial periods.

Even notable entrepreneurs like Elon Musk once said he fears taking vacations.

During these pivotal moments in your business, you need to pace yourself to avoid being burned out.

You can help minimize your guilt by having a structure that lets you focus on yourself occasionally.

3. You’re Always Comparing Yourself To Others

Do you constantly compare yourself to others as if your value depended on it?

Maybe, you become secretly jealous of your friends because they’re doing “better” than you.

You feel accountable whenever you allow yourself the experience of great pleasure when your friends aren’t as “successful” as you.

To make matters worse, you soon begin to hide information from others.

You start to feel like life is one big competition.

You feel threatened when there is no need to feel so.

Is your ego so powerful that you are ready to risk everything to win?

This shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Well, think again.

This way of thinking causes routine stress, which comes with the pressure from day-to-day life situations, such as work and family obligations.

It also causes you to feel superior to others – when you’re really just being busy.

4. You Aim to Fulfill The Silence

For some, being still can scare us.

It makes us feel bored to the point where we start thinking about what we’ve been putting off.

Some individuals will even force themselves to stay busy to fill the silence, escape reality, or avoid actual problems.

However, the reality is that when we have so much to do, we can’t focus on our well-being.

This means issues can only be ignored until they seep into places they shouldn’t be.

You can only run from your problems for so long.

Don’t wait until you’re on the verge of breaking down to address something hurting you.

Stop being busy all the time and face the silence.

5. To Run From The Past

Continuing with our theme of silence and avoidance, people typically like to avoid the past at all costs.

There are even entire speeches that teach individuals how to evade their past.

We can choose to keep running, hoping our dark demons will fade.

Or we can stand up to them.

Running from the past may be acceptable when you’re young and trying to find your way as an adult.

For instance, people under the age of 30 often do not have the character or life experience to deal with their painful past.

This is why they’re rarely encouraged to dive in.

Instead, they’re told to move on and build a new history.

Sometimes, by being busy.

Now, when you’re closer to mid-life, on the other hand, most people have the capacity and knowledge to cope with their past.

Doing so frees them emotionally and allows them to embrace themselves.

After all, your past can influence the individual you’ll become.

You do not have to stay addicted to being busy

You can overcome your past experiences with the right tools and proper healing process.

Even the worst case of trauma can be laid to rest.

Thanks for the read.

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What are some other reasons people might be addicted to being busy?

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