“A paradox has emerged in this new millennium: people have enhanced
quality of life, but at the same time they are adding to their stress
levels by taking on more than they have resources to handle. It's as though their eyes were bigger than their stomachs."
- David Allen, Getting Things Done
It's more than likely that you've heard a message, read a book, or
done some thinking about "busyness" in the last year or two. Slightly
less likely, but still entirely possible that you've heard a message,
read a book, or done some thinking on "gluttony" during the same time.
It's highly unlikely that the two were connected, however. And maybe they should have been.
Why do we say yes to so much? Is it because we are guilt-ridden, co-dependent angst monkeys who lack the willpower to say no?
Nah-
we say to a million things a day. Usually to things that are good for
us, but still... When we want to, we know how to say no just fine,
thank you.
Is it because we have a drive towards self justification that works
itself out in our work and an ever-increasing load of commitments
through which we seek to earn the favor of others and God? In part,
yes...
But maybe, it also has something to do with our appetites?
You know, our appetites for recognition and "importance." To be
liked, appreciated, admired... Even our appetite to "get things done."
And honestly, there's nothing inherently wrong with that. But
like all things in this broken world, left unchecked by the Spirit and
unsubmitted to God, our appetite to be liked and our appetite to
achieve will run out of control.
I've been thinking about busyness as though it's a problem to
be managed- increase my productivity and I could, of course, accept and
do more commitments, more on my plate... more to feed my ego.
Maybe the problem with busyness isn't it. Maybe it's me. Me and my ego and pride.
Conceived of this way, busyness isn't an issue of time management and productivity, it's an issue of desire. When is enough, enough? When am I doing enough
good things through which that God-given desire to feel productive and
useful in this world can be fulfilled? When do I cross the line between
finding satisfaction in the good day's work I put in and trying to find
my identity through an ever-increasing load of ego-enhancing
commitments?
Don't get me wrong- I want to continue to work on productivity/time
management and all the rest. But until I work through the inner issues
of why I try to do so much, all the productivity hacks in the word
really just add up to enabling.
In other words, most days I
don't need any more help being productive or managing the stress of
work. I think I need help in managing my appetite for applause and the stress of opportunity.
I fear my busyness is simply a sign of my gluttony.
Recent Comments