Are You Too Busy for Good Health?
By Genevieve Cunningham
Many people are taught to be busy. They're taught that being busy is the only way to be happy and successful. If you have downtime, you're doing it wrong. But this train of thought is proving to be not only wrong, but also incredibly damaging. While it's good to be involved in life, it's not good to put busyness above everything else. If you're guilty of staying constantly busy, take a look at why this way of life may be robbing you of good health long-term.
Busyness Causes More Stress
When we're always busy, it makes us feel even more stressed in daily life. And stress is never good for our health! It raises the risk of disease and gives us headaches and makes life feel more complicated. Though we can't escape stress altogether, there's no reason to make it worse. There's no reason to create so much busyness that we can never get away from the stress. If you feel stressed more often than not, consider slowing down and leaving the overly busy schedule behind for a little relief.
Busyness Takes Away From Rest
In America, we don't give enough thought and energy into rest. Rest is an absolutely crucial aspect of good health, and we just don't get enough. We don't get enough sleep or relaxation or time to wind down. And this lack of sleep is killing our health. Unfortunately, our schedules may be preventing us from getting enough rest. We fill our schedules from morning to night. We rush from one activity to another. We're more than busy; we're overwhelmed. If we slow down and limit the busyness, we can allow ourselves enough rest to recuperate, heal, and enjoy more of the little moments that life brings.
Mindfulness Brings Happiness
When we're always busy, we're not able to practice in the very beneficial habit of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice that more and more people are adding to their lives. It's all about enjoying each moment as it happens instead of constantly worrying over the future. It's about breathing deep and feeling your emotions right now. Those who are mindful report a better sense of both happiness and calm. They're better able to deal with life's stressors. If you like the idea of enjoying the moment and being completely present in what you're doing, you have to slow down and allow yourself the opportunity.
It's OK to be active and engaged in life. It's a good thing! But when we're so busy that we can barely breathe, we're setting ourselves up for trouble. Don't forget that busyness does not equal happiness. Busyness is just a distraction from real life. Take the time to slow down, lighten your load, and enjoy life every day. With a slower schedule and little less busyness in your life, you may find better health and even more happiness moving forward.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Chandler, Ariz.