Insight.

There’s a difference between being in flow and staying in motion. The act of busyness is staying in motion. It feels productive and even great. It feels like dedication, like you’re someone who gets things done, who shows up, who doesn’t stop when things get hard…or busy.

For a while that story is partly true but there is a version of busyness that you may become stuck in that has nothing to do with being in a flow. These signals are so subtle to start with, that it is only through my many times through the hard lessons that I now see them. Mind goes blank, ideas and creativity dry up, you start rushing things that you know there is no need to rush, you keep adding to your to-do list before you notice these tasks are not meant for you, and you start repeating, “I’ll have a rest when I [fill in the blank - for there are many clever and sound reasons for here]”.

So What?

Busyness can become an addictive habit, especially when fear uses it to its advantage. You see, fear is brilliant at keeping you moving in ways that avoid specific moments that matter a lot. Things that only rest is the best state to be in to discover these important moments.

Now rest to me is not a passive thing. I believe it is one of the most active things we can do. Rest is no longer about a reward you get when you finish a series of tasks. It’s part of how the work gets done, and done well. The bonus, you have capacity again that feels like you have fuel in the tank when a day is finished.

Next Step.

For the next five days, observe and notice when you’re adding tasks that don’t actually need you right now, or at all. Just notice, that's all because awareness is your first move here.

They get curious with this question, what am I moving too fast to notice?

Episode four of the Blossoming Speaker Podcast, Busyness, the disguise you should be resting, goes into the deeper driving the habit of busyness, and why rest is where the real progress actually gets realised.

All the best, Susan.