What are you really busy with?

We lead busy lives, with numerous tasks to complete and endless responsibilities. Being busy has become a badge of honour in our society, with the assumption that if we are not busy, we are not productive or successful.

However, I feel the key question is whether we are busy with the things that are aligned to our core values.

In my previous career, I was an executive who led a busy life. I have been juggling my work responsibilities, conducting classes, facilitating workshops and attending meetings. I thought that I was enjoying the buzz of being busy and felt that I was living up to my potential by constantly achieving more.

One day, my then 6-year-old son sat next to me and said “you give your phone more attention than me!” It was a wake-up call for me.

I had been busy with work, but that was not aligned with what I truly wanted in life. I wanted to spend more time with my family, travel to new places, and pursue my hobbies, but I had been too caught up in my work.

So, I decided to make a change. I started to prioritize the things that truly mattered to me and made a list of my core values. They were love, respect, learning, honesty and gratitude.

I set up my own business that allowed me to pursue my learning and gave me flexibility to spend time with my family. As I aligned my busyness with my core values, I began to feel more fulfilled and satisfied with my life. I went to bed at night feeling content and fulfilled, rather than drained and unsettled.

How do you go to bed at night? Do you mostly feel satisfied with how your day has gone? Or unsettled and drained after a day of busyness?

If you feel drained, then it's a sign that you've been occupying yourself with things that are not aligned with what you want in life.

I recommend you do an exercise that gives you an indication of your core values. You can list challenges you have overcome and what that shows you about your values. Or you can take an online assessment such as Values In Action.

Take a step back and evaluate whether our busyness is serving our purpose and fulfilling our goals. We can reflect on what we want in life and ask ourselves if our current busyness is taking us closer or further away from those things.

Being busy is not inherently bad or negative. It's about being intentional with our busyness and ensuring that it's aligned with our purpose and values. So the next time you feel overwhelmed by busyness, take a moment to reflect on what truly matters to you and adjust your "busyness" accordingly.