Busyness: When A Solution Becomes A Problem!
"Thank God we took a mule with us on the picnic because when one of the boys was injured, we used the mule to carry him back."
"How did he get injured?"
"The mule kicked him."
Often our solutions to problems are the root problems! This is how we attached to many things and stuck with many activities. Our possession becomes a burden and our busyness becomes a disease that spreads and destroys our life. Busyness starts as a way to solve our problems, and then it becomes a problem: A way to make a living ends up life itself; a way to escape from our boredom and shallowness ends up a lifelong struggle and an addiction.
People often use their busyness as an excuse, rather than recognizing it as a problem. Many people even consider busyness as a measure of success – there is no end to the foolishness of our ego! "The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat" – Lily Tomlin. When we focus on mere success, we lose connection with the bigger perspective of life. This is how we keep destroying our well-being and the environment.
Though we can multitask, the quality of our work goes down exponentially. The mind needs space for its flexibility, intelligence and creativity. Without spaciousness we are bound to be stuck in the same old patterns and reactivity. Further, we don't have to reduce ourselves like a robot, always focusing on efficiency. If we only focus on the utilitarian ends, then our journey becomes a hell. If we let each of our steps towards peace and joy, then what we do will be harmonious – inside out.
"Beware the barrenness of a busy life" – Socrates
CK. Kamaraj
31 March 2021