Is "busy" the modern word for "tired"?
School has officially started and the year is in full swing for most of us. Despite our best intentions to simplify things, each year, our ‘load’ seems to be getting heavier and heavier.Ask almost everyone these days how they are and the answer is almost always ‘busy’ - SO busy! I get it, I really do… sometimes we just run out of hours in the day. For many people however, I have to wonder… is this a boast disguised as a complaint? Is "busy" code for tired/ pooped/ exhausted!?Now, I’m not suggesting that we all should be bored, not at all. Personally I love a challenge, don’t mind a juggle and get a kick out of a deadline… but don’t condone perpetually living in a highly stressed state (aka the ‘red zone’). With all this ‘busyness’ comes a heavy reliance on screens, caffeine and sugar. We live in a culture of cortisol, where conditions like ulcers, anxiety, hypertension and insomnia are “normal”. This is HIGHLY concerning.Here are strategies to reduce the physiological burden of being ‘busy’:1. Learn to say NO more - it's OK, you can say no to things that you don’t have time for, things that exhaust you, or things that don’t ‘fill your bucket’ in a positive way.2. Schedule in ‘De-loading’ phases – examples include writing, exercising, catching up with friends/family, reading (something other than a screen ideally), having routine tea breaks, meditation, time in nature, playing with the kids, baking, etc.NOTE: De-loading blocks must be scheduled in, and defended! No one will create slack for you, so you need to create it for yourself.3. Take a mini-break/holiday every 12 weeks – make this non-negotiable and plan them at the start of each year. Ask yourself "What do I need a holiday from?” and perhaps more importantly, "What do I have to lose by subtracting something?"4. Don’t become reliant on coffee and sugar - the more you have, the more you feel you need, the more habituated you become and the less effective stimulants will be. This ultimately means the cycle of fatigue accelerates. Don’t get trapped!
