We know you’ve got at least one, so where is it? Written on the back of an old envelope, scribbled on a receipt, tapped into an app on your phone, stuck on the kitchen fridge with a magnet or maybe on a note pad or diary or your desk? Somewhere you have a list of things you need to do.
Why are we so bloody busy? Who gave us all these things to do? For some reason we have become mentally conditioned to be super productive and industrious to the point we can actually suffer guilt if we do not have some kind of tangible output from our day.
There’s nothing wrong spending our time doing things we enjoy, but the flipside is we can sometimes use being busy as a distraction. Again, not a bad thing. But what if the being busy is being used as a method of avoiding something? What if our habits mean we tell ourselves we are not doing enough?
It can become all too easy to spend our time measuring our success by our achievements or reflecting on what we have not done that we forget what it’s like to relax and just enjoy the now. So is it time to put down our to-do lists, give ourselves a break and rediscover the art of ‘human being’ rather than ‘human doing’?
We don’t need to be busy. We don’t need to be productive to be successful. Taking a break, having a rest, putting our feet up, reading a book, staring into the distance, letting our mind wander, enjoying a cup of tea in peace – these are not the actions of a lazy person. And so what if we have a lazy day, dial the pace down and allow ourselves to find a little moment of contentment?
The art of being is no harder to master than the art of doing. If we can schedule in all the things we need to do in a day, we can certainly schedule in some ‘being’ time. But what can our ‘being time’ actually look like? Here are some things you can try:
- Go for a walk – Just getting outside for a few minutes can really help you clear your mind. If you’ve got time, try a longer walk and just reconnect with nature. It’s too easy to stop noticing your surroundings and how they change with the seasons, or what wind or rain feels like on your face.
- Meditate – You don’t have to sit cross-legged on a mat in the mountains, or do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. The guys at mindful.org have put a great beginners guide together, so give it a go.
- Sit in a quiet place – Workplaces, people and homes can be loud. Find somewhere to switch off the day and find some peace. If you are at home, maybe light a candle and snuggle up with a fluffy blanket. If you are out and about how about parking up your car for a moment and just sitting there.
- Unplug – Put down devices, switch off phones and mute the digital chatter that we all find so distracting. Plan regular digital detox sessions and stop scrolling through social media feeds in bed when you should be asleep.
- Indulge in your hobby – We all neglect out hobbies, when really they are the tools that help us do more ‘being’. Draw, paint, read, sew, knit, craft, schedule time for the things that bring you contentment and enjoy them guilt free.
There is a reason why we called ourselves So Just Be, you know. Sometimes we all just need a little reminder now and then that doing nothing is still doing something, and that’s absolutely fine.
SJB
So Just Be 