Are you too busy?

Are you too busy?

In the practice of mindfulness, we are reminded to take each action consciously: to eat consciously, to walk consciously, to do everything from that state of mind.

by Ada Porat — 

“I am so busy, I just do not have the time.” That seems to be what I hear from everyone (myself included). We are all so busy — running around non-stop with more things to get done than we could ever do. We spend all our waking hours working on our “To Do” list without finding time for things that would truly nurture us.

I speak with many people daily, and not having enough time is such a constant refrain that I’ve had to ask myself, “Why are we all so busy?”

It may be because we are caught up in a society that highly prizes the values of: Go! Be! Do! We are so busy going places, getting involved, doing things — always running — that we seem to be locked in a race against time. Yet, we are the very ones who create all the reasons to run around and feel stressed.

The bottom line is that we always have a choice. We made the choices that overcommitted us in the first place, and we have the power to change those commitments.

One of the best tools for sorting through our over-stuffed list of commitments is honest evaluation. Before accepting or scheduling that next activity, how about asking yourself these two questions, and answering them as honestly as you can:

1. What will this activity give me that I do not have now?

You say you need that second job to pay your bills? But perhaps stretching yourself so far is an indication that the 72-inch TV is not really a life necessity, or wearing the latest fashion is not worth sacrificing your health and relationships.

2. How will it affect my life emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically if I decline this activity?

At times, the lure of a better lifestyle or of keeping up with others’ expectations can blind us to the very things that we cherish most: our health, relationships with loved ones, or those precious years while our children are around. No amount of riches can restore these to us once they are lost. Is the price we’re paying truly worth it? Perhaps we would be happier scaling back a bit and having more time to spend with family and friends.

In the practice of mindfulness, we are reminded to take each action consciously: to eat consciously, to walk consciously, to do everything from that state of mind. We can cultivate that consciousness by vieiwng life the same way we treat vacation. When on vacation, we savor each minute, even when we just lay back and relax.

In a very real sense, we are merely visitors on Planet Earth — none of us knows for how long. So let’s savor each minute of this visit, taking stock of our lives and finding the time to appreciate the beauty around us.

Ada Porat is a certified vibrational healing instructor and spiritual life coach who uses theta brain waves to promote spiritual, emotional, mental and physical healing and growth. She is also a master shaman in the Brazilian tradition, an Usui Reiki Master and a KaRuna Reiki Master. 602-283-4628.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 23, Number 1, February/March 2005.