The Lie of Busyness
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” –Psalm 37:7
The "lie of busyness" refers to the belief that being constantly busy equates to productivity and success, while in reality, it often masks inefficiency, a lack of focus, or avoidance of more important tasks. It's a cultural phenomenon where being seen as "busy" has become a status symbol, even if that busyness is not leading to meaningful outcomes.
Here's a breakdown of the concept:
It’s a Cultural Pressure: In many societies, particularly in the United States, busyness is glorified and equates to success and importance.
It’s a Misplaced Focus: The "lie" is that we need more time to accomplish everything, when in reality, we often need to be more efficient and prioritize better.
It is Hidden Avoidance: Busyness can be a way to avoid difficult or uncomfortable tasks or to mask a lack of clear goals and priorities.
It results in Negative Consequences: The "lie of busyness" can lead to stress, burnout, poor work-life balance, and a feeling of being overwhelmed and unproductive.
How does one find True Meaning: To combat this lie of busyness, it's important to examine our priorities, identify what truly matters, and learn to manage our time and energy effectively to focus on those things.
We need to realize the Importance of Reflection: Slowing down and taking time for reflection, rest, and self-care is crucial for creativity, wisdom, and overall well-being.
In essence, the "lie of busyness" is a trap that can keep us from living fulfilling and productive lives. It's a reminder to evaluate our priorities and ensure that our busyness is actually serving a purpose.
Søren Kierkegaard, a nineteenth-century Danish theologian and social critic, once wrote in his journal, “The result of busyness is that an individual is very seldom permitted to form a heart.” Many of us sense in our souls he is right. Unrelenting busyness — running here and there, late and in haste, always with more to do than we have time for — stifles the life of the heart.
Maybe in order not to waste our lives, you and I need to learn the benefit of “wasting” some time. I like to call it “the gift of slow.”
Let me explain. What we think of as boredom or unproductive time can be a great gift. In the spaces opened by moments of slowness, if we don’t immediately fill them with more tasks or distractions, surprising things often happen: our bodies breathe and relax a bit, our imaginations open up, and our hearts can consider all manner of ideas. We have space to evaluate how we spoke to a colleague that morning or notice a young parent struggling with a child. Only by slowing down, and not immediately filling the space, do we start to sense God’s presence and the complexities of the world — including both its beauties and problems, our wonder and fears. We miss the world when we are constantly busy. Thus Kierkegaard’s insight: the result of busyness is that we are seldom able to form a heart. Compassion, thoughtfulness, repentance, hope, and love all grow in the soil of reflection. And healthy reflection rarely occurs when we don’t slow down.
Let me say that again, “Compassion, thoughtfulness, repentance, hope, and love all grow in the soil of reflection.” Busyness stunts our growth. Creativity and wisdom require our internal freedom to reflect, wrestle, and sit with challenges. There is a reason that walks and showers are often places of great insight: the distractions are minimal, so the mind and heart can wonder.
Such periods of slowness also enrich our communion with God if we take time for mental, emotional, and even physical engagement that the overly busy life excludes. Life improves if we carve out extended times for solitude and silence. These practices have historically been used and recommended by Christians who saw that busyness made it harder to be present with God and with others. These times of silence and solitude can be difficult, especially at first. But until we grow in our ability to be alone with God — and alone with ourselves — we will have difficulty recognizing the Spirit’s presence in our day.
Slowing down — not filling every moment with distractions, dropping the compulsion to squeeze productivity out of every moment — allows us to hear God and others. It gives our imagination and creativity oxygen to breathe, and we start to develop a heart. It opens up the path of love. So go ahead, “waste” some time, because this may keep you from wasting your life. Open the gift of SLOW.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” –Psalm 46:10
