why are we so busy

Many of us are trapped in the "too busy" cycle; the hustle, the grind, nonstop until you drop mentality. Working with self-proclaimed busy bees and workaholics whose mental health, physical wellbeing and relationships are affected by their work ethics, has given me great insight into the stories we tell ourselves and the myth about what being too busy really means.

Because it comes as no surprise being too busy has actually a deeper meaning. Let's find out, shall we?

Being busy is seen as a badge of honour and “the hustle” is widely promoted as a valid strategy for success. In addition, it is also culturally widely accepted that being too busy is a valid excuse not to show up or be present at all. Being chronically too busy can lead to too much stress, which will affect our health and relationships. And we all know by now stress can kill.

​So why do we choose to stay too busy if it is a pattern that can be resolved?

These are the 4 most common reasons why you keep yourself under the busy spell:

Reason number 1 - fear of mission out

​If you are always running around, saying yes to too many things and feeling flustered as more things land on your desk... You WILL MISS OUT on the important things! That is just a fact. You will forget yet another birthday or anniversary. That meeting with that investor you were supposed to organize. Or the school play you PROMISED you would make it to this time around.


Yet the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO), is real for many of us, perhaps even for you. And this is often the biggest trap you can find yourself in. The Fear Of Missing Out is causing you to miss out on things that truly matter to you, such as quality time with yourself, loved ones and friends. Or, more importantly, a deeper connection with life itself, a sense of fulfilment and the expression of your soul path. Which brings me to point number two.

reason number 2 - you are overwhelmed

We live in a day and age where there is an abundance of options available to us. But because there is so much choice, it is, in fact, hard to choose! This information overload from different social media platforms to advertisements or even the options of hummus and olives at your local shop will be amplified if you are experiencing a real fear of missing out, as I mentioned with number 1.

As we are already too busy because of FOMO, it can create a lot of turmoil inside with what I call “system overload”. Too much choice will lead to you feeling overwhelmed. Some if not all the time!

​reason number three - you don't have a clear goal, sense of direction or purpose

If you don't know where you are going, it doesn't matter where you are going. Read that again! To beat your busy pattern and move away from overwhelm, it is vital you get clear on what matters to YOU.

Think about all different areas of your life, financially, emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally. If your choices do not align with the goals you are working towards, you got to leave them as they are and keep moving! In other words, LEARN TO SAY NO!

Time and time again, I see the same issue with my clients. Because they don't have a clear vision or goals in mind, they don't know what to do next. Hence the overwhelm. Because if you don't know what the goal is, it doesn't matter what path you take! Which brings me to the final point.

Susanne Grant: "If you don't know what the goal is, it doesn't matter what path you take!"

reason number four - you don't have clear boundaries

Because you don't have clarity, because of the information overload, you are probably spending your time not very wisely at the moment. For example: Saying yes when you want to say no, giving too much of yourself when your body tells you you should rest. Or not communicating your needs to those around you in a constructive manner (so you can be deeply supported).

All of this will lead to adding onto the "too busy" pile because you are simply doing too much of too many things you really don't want to be doing. And let's face it, that is exhausting!!

If you really want to kick the busyness to the curb, you need to create time to clarify what you need to do next. And that is the crux of the story and the tricky thing, isn't it? To make time to sort out the overwhelm, when you are already too busy to figure out what you need to be doing next instead. If you catch my drift.

ready to kick your busy pattern to the curb?

Becoming aware of your chronic, too busy pattern may be a painful and confronting experience as we are so used to it being an acceptable way of functioning in life. I know, and have seen, first-hand the effects stress, anxiety, and overwhelm can have on your health, physical and mental, and relationships.

But just like your money mindset or (business) mindset, your time mindset - in other words, how you relate and interact with time matters - is important. The good news is, this can be resolved! 

Susanne Grant

Connect with me on LinkedIn. Let’s have a chat if you are done with being too busy! Set up a quick call to see how I can be of service.

PS Did you enjoy this article? You might also enjoy: Why work-life balance matters?