Is ‘busy’ your middle name?
Read this… and think again.
Over the recess period, I spent loads of quality time with my family. Having decided not to travel, not physically at least, I took the time to connect with people who had something to say. I began by reactivating my Twitter account. And so my journey began…
On the second day of the new year, I came across this Tweet by @shareski:
Ive been anti-busy 4 a while.I’ve written 3 posts on it.Here’s 1 http://t.co/90j8rvX78y another reminder http://t.co/G1A3L7gE2N via @courosa
— Dean Shareski (@shareski) January 2, 2014
The ‘anti-busy’ bit caught my eye. I decided to check it out. In his post “Let’s Stamp Out Busyness”, Shareski expresses his annoyance at the word ‘busy’ and how often it has been thrown around in day-to-day conversation. I instantly thought about – guess who – all of us, teachers. We are definitely a kind that has a lot on our plate, all the time, so you can imagine how it felt to read the following:
“I’m not suggesting your life isn’t full but for the most part it’s the life you’ve chosen. You can argue that sometimes it’s not, but you decided to have kids, you choose to work where you work, and you choose to be a good person and help others out.” Dean Shareski
Shareski then argues that many of the people who constantly declare their busyness may actually come across as wanting to bring others down, as if not being busy all the time meant there’s something wrong with you, or you’re clearly not doing your job right, or even you’re just plain lazy.
I was blown away by Shareski’s honesty in this post. I wanted to read more on the subject, so I decided to check out his other suggestion – a great article by Tyler Wardis. In it, Wardis eloquently explains why busy isn’t respectable anymore, candidly admitting how being busy actually used to make him feel important, valuable, needed. I was compelled to read on.
Little did I know 
What a great topic to get things started in the beginning of a new year, Clarissa!
Thanks for sharing so many interesting links and insights!
Ronaldo
Thank you for reading, Ronaldo! You’re my very first follower in this new adventure of mine: blogging. I’m looking to connect! Thanks again!
wow is this really your first blog? Great writing, excellent topics – i’d say you’re a natural at this blogging thing! I started with your latest and was compelled to click on a couple of others.
This theme of ‘busyness’, or living a constantly distracted life is something I’ve been thinking a lot on lately too.
Although I’ve always tried to be conscious and aware of not using my phone or computer when I’m around my child, it can be difficult when you’re at home. And now that he’s 3 it’s clear how your behaviour as a parent so directly and immediately impacts theirs. If I start reading things on the laptop in the morning, he’ll end up asking for the tablet and watching movies on it…until I realise what time it is and get up to get breakfast – and invariably have to prise the thing out of his hands. And I’ve actually been a little disturbed at the blatant blog hopping I’ve been doing during rhizo14, not stopping to comment, not stopping to think, to process deeply, or engage. The posts are compelling, the ideas interesting – perhaps too much so.
Yes the surplus of links and connections on the internet can lead to excellent conversations, and meaningful connections with new and awesome people. But only if you take the time to listen and reflect. If you don’t what it often leads you to is a constantly wandering and distracted mind.
Mariana’s recent post http://theds106shrink.tumblr.com/post/75366179094/digital-landfills-and-creativity really made me stop and think and reflect on this. So from tomorrow, my new thing will be not to use the laptop first thing in the morning. Instead, we’ll be doing breakfast and spending time in the garden. Doing, and talking and learning about life. Real life.
What a lovely comment, Tanya! Thank you!
I have a 3-year-old myself and, as I read your account, I found myself nodding and going ‘yep’, ‘yep’, ‘me too’. Also have to watch out for that with my girl. Many a time have caught myself blog-hopping. I have a morning ritual in which I choose one or two pieces to read over a cup of coffee. I like to go for something that will inspire me and energize me for the day, so I have a few blogs already that I like to go to for inspiration and positivity. One of them is the one I mentioned in the busyness post (tylerwardis.com). I refrain from checking social media/email (I try, many times I fail). Thanks for sharing Mariana’s post. I’ll be sure to read it and engage. Looks quite promising!
Thank you for the compliment there. Yes, I am a beginner at this blogging thing, so your encouraging words have simply made my day!
You have a lovely breakfast out in the garden tomorrow! I will do the same here.
Cheers!