Being Busy is Bewakufi

Are you, like others, busy with your life? Can I ask you—why? 

Why are we busy…for what? 

Busyness is one of the marks of this post-modernist ultra-active era. For the first time in human history, we are thus technologically empowered. There are a million things to do, build, achieve and look for. So, we are busy. 

Busy in projects, planning, earning and dreaming. But, have you ever thought—isn’t this busyness robbing us of our life? We are so busy with our own problems, pleasures, hopes and ambitions that we are not actually living. Life is slipping through our fingers. 

The irony of this century is, we have more time—technology has reduced our labour. But we have less life. We don’t have the time to sit and talk to somebody freely. We don’t have time for our children; to go to the library; to sit by the river bank when the sun is setting; to be in nature; to meditate. 

Why are we busy like this? What are we trying to get? More money? More followers? More power? I don’t think that’s the right way to approach life. If we don’t even have the time for our loved ones and just sit sometime to reflect on our lives, what use is all this busyness? It may sound great that we are living a busy life. It gives the impression that we are doing something worthwhile in our lives. But really? 

I know, it’s a psychological thing too. We need something to do, otherwise we feel empty and restless. But by being busy we suppress our restlessness and try to fill our emptiness. So, we get busy with something or the other. But, you know what, there’s two flavours busyness comes in. Those who are seriously working for something to happen are creatively and productively busy. But, most people are only habitually and compulsively busy. There’s a world of difference. 

My Take 

Don’t be busy all the time. If you are really passionate about something, naturally you’ll be immersed in that; you’ll feel busy. But, that’s okay. This kind of business develops us. It gives a sense of purpose. 

But, don’t be busy with futile pursuits. We are mostly busy dealing with others. Do we have to? Give it a thought. By being busy like this will our lives get enhanced? After all, whatever we are doing, it’s only to enhance our lives, no? You must go into this: what enhances our lives. We should live more mindfully, with purpose and wisdom. Reflect often. Be in touch with this beautiful world. Feel it. Live…

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Thank you. 

Feature image credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/working-overtime-health-risk-gm840658734-136981415