Which is More Important, Busyness or Mindfulness?

Note: This article is taken from the author, Deanna Ritchie, editor-in-chief of the Calendar website, in which she talks to us about her experience in being more productive and present.

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard discovered this idea in his 1843 paper "Either / Or: A Fragment of Life," in which he wrote: "Of all the absurd things it seems to me the most absurd to be busy, to be someone who is busy securing his food and work, so as soon as I see a fly settling at the crucial moment on the nose of someone of this kind, or if the mud splatters from a carriage passing through them, or the drawbridge opens in front of them, or as block falls over their head and kills them, then I laugh terribly." In short, Kierkegaard’s attitude towards the “busy” person was to mock them, which may sound mean, but he seems to have information about it.

Don't be busy, but be present:

Being busy and productive is excellent, but the people who have to fill every waking moment with something - anything - even if it's unimportant- are not present. For some, busyness provides them with an escape or haven, yet others always belong to the active group. Researchers interested in this phenomenon from Columbia, Harvard, and Georgetown universities have discovered why we are so affected by being busy.

Researchers Silvia Bellezza, Neeru Paharia, and Anat Keinan wrote, “We generally found that a busy person is perceived as high status. It is interesting that the traits of this condition are strongly influenced by our beliefs about social mobility. In other words, the more we believe that one has a chance to succeed based on hard work, the more we are inclined to believe that people who give up leisure and work all the time have a higher status.”

Problems of extreme busyness:

Are there obligations that need to be fulfilled? Of course, but this does not mean you must do something constantly. It turns out that being a member of the "busy group" creates a chronic response to stress in your body and mind. As a result, you may experience symptoms, such as fatigue, insomnia, headaches, and digestive disorders. You may also suffer from possible heart problems. Still, we do not only expose our physical safety to harm, but there is also a link between stress and depression. Relationships and work performance are also affected, especially when you are busy. You:

• Don't give basic tasks and relationships full attention.
• You lose new opportunities.
• Don't prioritize your time effectively.
• Make excuses for real problems.
• Forget your motivation and self-care.
• Do not work at your full capacity.
• Fail to set healthy boundaries, which can lead to burnout.
• Don't give yourself time to think and dream.

In other words, your preoccupation negatively affects every part of your life, so it's time to leave this group, and you can make that possible by focusing on the present instead.

Don't ignore the past and the future:

Let's be realistic; living in the present moment is a tremendous force, and you can thank evolution for that. Professor Eyal Winter, Ph.D. in Economics, explains: "Human psychology is evolutionarily linked to living in the past and the future. Other species have instincts and reactions to help them survive, but human survival depends largely on learning and planning. You cannot learn without living in the past, and you cannot plan without living in the future." Instead of trying to exclude the past or the future completely, look for a healthy balance.

For example, you can think of an accomplishment or past mistake during your morning or evening routine, and if you're anxious about an event in the future, write it down quickly, make an action plan, and most importantly, take these new actions and implement them in small steps.

Personally, I don't devote more than 15 minutes to thinking and worrying about the day. During this time, I take all these thoughts out of my head and organize them into a schedule for later so that I can focus on the task at hand, and it may take a little longer, but a lot of time to worry can easily confuse some people.

Less, but better:

As I said earlier, there are responsibilities you should follow; however, most of the items on your to-do lists are likely to be canceled, which is probably why 41% of tasks are never completed, so what's the solution? Minimize tasks - this may seem easy, but it's possible to use techniques like the Pareto principle, also known as the  80/20 rule.

Motivational public speaker Brian Tracy explains: “The Pareto Principle indicates that two out of ten items on any general to-do list will be more valuable than the other eight items combined.” Unfortunately, most procrastinate on 10 to 20% of the most valuable and essential tasks, known as the “vital few.” Instead, they occupy themselves with the least significant 80%, also known as the “trivial many,” where you can support this thing through:

• Simplify your to-do lists with the Eisenhower Matrix; that is, prioritize tasks, and you can also try setting your main priorities, three medium priorities, and five smaller tasks for execution.
• Track your time so that you dedicate the right amount of time to completing the most important tasks.
• Restructure your routine so that you work on your most important tasks when you're most productive.
• Train yourself to enhance skills, such as concentration.
• Thinking about things other than work, following the 80/20 rule will allow you to pursue other concerns outside of the workplace that can make you healthier and happier.

Consider the opportunity cost:

Opportunity cost is often used when making a financial or investment decision. In short, it determines the return you will get from each option you think carefully about. For example, you decided to spend a lot of money on a new MacBook. Although you now have a new laptop, you can not invest this money in something more useful in the long term, such as saving it in the emergency fund.

You can also use this concept regarding how you want to spend your time. You can accept a meeting invitation, but it can take an hour and it doesn't have a clear purpose. You may decide instead that it's better to spend that amount of time finishing an important task so that you can leave early to spend time with your family.

Getting rid of fear for focus:

Leo Babauta, the author of Zen Habits, wrote: “If you're feeling scared, ashamed, confused, and anxious, that's perfectly normal, so let yourself feel it all for a moment. Next, see if you can let go of the fearful thought, and what are the thoughts running through your head that make you fearful? Are you worried about not meeting a deadline you set for a job or being perfect at it?

These are not necessarily false fears but hurt you regardless of your health. Fears prevent us from focusing, attract us to think about other things, and add fear and anxiety to our experience, making focusing more complex, so think of fears as just a passing symptom.”

Adding more vigilance to your life:

Well, you know that was going to come out eventually. As Jill Suttie, a writer and editor with a Ph.D. in psychology (Psy.D.) at Greater Good, wrote: “Some people practice meditation to understand themselves and their relationships to all beings according to millennia-old traditions. By doing so, they hope to be free from suffering and eventually gain enlightenment.

However, research also shows that mindfulness affects many aspects of our psychological well-being, which include improving our mood, increasing positive emotions, reducing our anxiety, emotional reaction and functional fatigue. Furthermore, mindfulness benefits the heart, enhances the immune response, and reduces cognitive decline."You can adopt mindfulness in your life through the following tips:

• Start your day off right. Instead of checking your phone directly, ask, "What is my goal today?"
• Create a vision of your goals.
• Eat quietly and savor each bite.
• Make sure your body is safe during the day.
• Take thoughtful breaks, such as taking a twenty-minute outdoor walk.
• Activate the “slow brain” by solving puzzles.
• Be more clear about the purpose of your physical activity.
• Be calm while driving to work. For example, before starting the engine, do breathing exercises and check for any tension in the body.
• Review today's events and try to be grateful.

Do not overload tasks:

American writer and entrepreneur Derek Sivers recommend, “There's a rule I've followed for years: When you have too many commitments, and you want to cut down on things you don't need, reject them if you don't want to agree to them. When you decide to do something, if you feel that the results of that decision aren't going to be so amazingly satisfying that you say 'great', then say no.

When you reject most things, you leave room in your life for rare items you do with enthusiasm and activity and make you agree with them. Whatever you are invited to, regardless of whether it is a meeting or a social occasion, if you are not 100% enthusiastic about it, you can refuse gently and use this thinking with any other time requests you may face in your life.

Connecting with people in real life:

Omid Safi, an Iranian-American professor of Middle East studies at Duke University, said: “In many Muslim cultures, when you want to ask how they are doing, you ask: 'How are you?' Or in Persian Haal-e shomaa chetoreh? How are you? What is this situation you are inquiring about? It is the “temporary state of the human heart,” meaning that you sincerely ask, “How is your heart at this very moment, in this breath?”

I don't ask how many tasks are on your to-do list or what items are in your inbox. I want to know how your heart is at this very moment, whether it is full of sadness or joy. It builds a stronger relationship with others. So, tell me you remember that you are still a human being and not just a working human, and you are more than a machine that examines the items on your to-do list. So, keep that conversation, look, and touch; a conversation that is healing and full of agility and presence.”

Letting others know about your daily schedule:

“You will never find time for everything, and if you want time, you have to save it.” - says Charles Buxto. There are not enough words to express the importance of this, and you are the guardian of your time, so don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. It does not mean you should not respect others. For example, when you get paid to perform a job by an agreed deadline, you must follow it to the end.

On the other hand, if you are working at total capacity, don't commit to anything new until you have the ability. The key is to be transparent and flexible from the start, and sharing your daily schedule - in my opinion - is the easiest way to overcome the stress of being transparent and flexible. Instead of a scheduling conflict, they can see when you're free to take a conference call, meet for lunch, or start a new project.

Reducing the use of technology:

While you can't leave the network entirely, you need to use it in moderation. Your phone, for example, can distract you and deprive you of living in the present. Just thinking about how often you are relaxed and entertained in your time and suddenly read a text or news on the Internet that takes you to an event in the future while turning off notifications or blocking applications and websites at certain times can help. There is always the temptation to look at our phones.

There is a phenomenon known as phantom vibration syndrome, where we believe that our phone rings or vibrates when it is not. The best way to address this is to eliminate the negative impact of technology by identifying times when you do not use technology. When it is time to eat dinner, leave your phone in the living room, and make your family do the same by participating fully in a group conversation. Turn off your phone and keep it somewhere else when it's time to go to bed, even if it's on the opposite side of the room.

While leaving the phone in another room may be uncomfortable initially, it will become easier over time. Eventually, you will realize that your phone is not always with you 24/7, and this will improve your relationships, help you sleep better at night, and make you blend in with your surroundings.