Your 'busy' is burning you out!

I recently shared a post with a challenge: "How many minutes, hours, days can you last without using the word 'busy'?"

My interest in the word "busy" stems from the immediate heaviness I feel when I hear it used. I realised that using "busy" for over a decade led to burnout, again and again.

Every time I felt "busy," I'd forsake my healthy routine because I didn't think I could carve out time for reading and reflection each day if I carried the "busy" label. It felt contradictory. The more I used "busy," the more I felt compelled to live up to it.

Just saying the word "busy" will contribute to your feelings of exhaustion and burnout. There's a theory (that I learned when I studied neuro-linguistic programming)?that the words we use have a profound impact on how we think, feel, and behave.

This can be both good and bad. Good because by shifting your language, you also shift how you interact with or see the world. And bad because using negative language inevitably leads to a negative view of the world and experiences.

The saying that accompanies this well is...

"Where attention goes, energy flows." Or, "What you focus on amplifies."

Knowing that my exhaustion was partially attributed to my choice of words, I started paying more attention and adjusting my vocabulary. Instead of "busy," I now use "awesome," "in flow," "growing," or "living the dream." It feels so much better. It doesn't feel heavy with obligation; it feels light and empowering.

When I saw the positive benefits that came with shifting my language, I expanded it to other words like replacing "try" with "will" or "won't" and completely removing the word "but." Then I progressed to "should" and "need to" with "want" and "will."

While sometimes my replacement words feel forced and not fully aligned, the more I use them, the more aligned I become. I play around with different alternatives like "I've got a great rhythm," "I'm on a learning journey," or "I'm in the middle of an adventure race and I've lost my shoes."

Since adjusting my language, I feel more purposeful about the work I do. I'm conscious of the decisions I'm making and noticing my desire to fall back into the familiarity and comfort of busyness. I don't want to be on the burnout pad again; I want to live a full, satisfying life, and for me, there's no place for "busy".

If you were to replace "busy" with a word that was more aligned to the life you want to live, what would it be? And then, what would that mean for you?

Want to chat about it? Find time?here.

Shelley Flett is a transformational leadership trainer and executive coach who believes the journey to dynamic leadership is lifelong, it's exciting and challenging - and the most fulfilling adventure one can embark on in their career. It's a journey to take with others - to learn, to grow, to fail, to love and experience all the joy that comes with being imperfectly human - together!

https://www.shelleyflett.com