We are far too busy in ways not imagined before, though productivity hasn't increased proportionally. Studies show we have more leisure time than before but have become overwhelmed with an infinite number of options.
Reclaim your time and your sanity instead of being busy all the time.
Being busy can be good. It can mean you're being productive and getting things done. It can also be bad and signify that you're taking on too many activities and not giving yourself enough breathing room to relax and rest. My client ran into the Starbucks 30 minutes late for our career coaching session.
Few facts about modern life seem more indisputable than how busy everyone seems to be. Across the industrialised world, large numbers of survey respondents tell researchers they're overburdened with work, at the expense of time with family and friends.
Although people feel much busier with work these days, the total time people are working – whether paid or otherwise – has not increased in Europe or North America in recent decades.
Economies grow and time is more valuable: Any given hour is worth more, so we experience more pressure to squeeze in more work.
The type of work we do has changed: We live in an “infinite world" - more incoming emails, meetings, things to read, more ideas to follow up – and digital technology means you can easily crank through them. The result, inevitably, is feeling overwhelmed.
Though historically, the ultimate symbol of wealth, achievement and social superiority was the freedom not to work. Now we measure our worth not by the results we achieve, but by how much of our time we spend doing things.
Is everyday life leaving you drained? In today's fast-paced world, being busy seems like something to be proud of. Between working all day, eating on the run, and having little time for fun and relaxation, it's normal to feel exhausted at least some of the time. But always feeling worn-out isn't healthy.