You don’t have to be a genius to work out that the world is getting busier –
things that we thought would save us time,
consume it all the more;
things that we thought would make life simpler,
just allow us to cram more in.

In 1953, Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 about a dystopian world where you have to travel above 90km/h so that you can’t see the world around you clearly. It is a blurry, fast-paced society.
Life is imitating art.

We’re forever craving downtime,
craving a chance to escape,
craving a chance to stop and just sit…

                                                             on our phones...

                                                                                       mindlessly scrolling.

At the start of a new year it’s easy to get overwhelmed – big ideas, bold plans, new challenges, and changed circumstances. After the initial adrenaline rush, it’s easy to get lost. One way we try to deal with it is to compartmentalise;
separate
               everything
                                   out
so that it looks neat, looks manageable.
We like it when everything has its place, in fact it can be quite beautiful.
One of my favourite websites is Things Organized Neatly (they have an Instagram account too).

Photo // @thingsorganizedneatly (Instagram)

It’s literally thousands of photos of things in their right place.
Mastering the art of the flat-lay will improve your Instagram game no end.
It’s beautiful, soothing even…
but when we do that in life,
when we separate everything out,
we end up making them compete against one another.

The problem is that not everything works as a list.
Not everything… was built for a box.

There is another option – 
look for connections rather than distinctions. 
We need a way to connect the dots.
Living for something bigger than me makes a way to connect the dots and give meaning to each moment.
Work and leisure, study and play, family and friends all have a place - it's not neat but at least it's holistic.

A feeling of purpose shouldn’t just be limited to those who are living their childhood dream, doing what they love, or working for a charity.
No, each one of us should be able to find purpose and meaning each day.
Each moment can be connected to something significant.

Most TV shows have a series of repeated themes or recurring storylines. Maybe it's lazy writing, or maybe it's what life is really like - despite all our differences, there are:
common questions we ask,
common mistakes we make,
common problems we face.
common paths we take.

One of those recurring stories is a question of identity,
which is really a question of purpose -
Who am I?
What am I here for?

It's the question that plagues two famous Dereks - Shepherd and Zoolander.

"Busy" is an all too common response.

It has a whiff of vague importance; without really saying anything, you can convince others (or maybe just yourself) that your day, 

your week, 

your life...

is filled with meaning.

Why do we do that?
Why do we feel the need to promote ourselves this way?
Why do we hold busyness as an idol?

I think we're better than that, I think we're made for more than just looking and feeling "busy."

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us"
- Gandalf (The Fellowship of the Ring, chapter 2)

"Busy" is an empty term.

Moving to a new place and starting a new job, people want to know how we're going, how we're settling in, how our weeks have been.
"Busy" is an empty response.

It doesn't say how we're going, settling in, or how this week has been. People who care about us deserve a better answer than that.

We use busyness as an excuse - for not rocking up to events.

There are times in life when there is a lot going on, so share that burden - tell people what is happening or that you need a rest, admit that you can't run at 100%.
Be honest with the way you're choosing to spend your time.

We use busyness as a boast - to make us look good.

There are much better ways to talk about work or study, actually reveal something about what you're doing. Remember that productivity is measured by effectiveness. I'm not impressed by the number of things you're doing, but by the number you're doing well. And even then, I'm probably more interested that you shared openly, than by what you share.
You don't actually need to impress me.

We use busyness as a veil - to hide the truth behind.
It can feel like everyone else is busy, so I need to join in the chaos. But you don't need to hide - admit when you're "busy" because you spent all day on Facebook or watching Netflix;
share about when you're feeling unproductive or uninspired;
ask questions when you don't know the answer.
We're all searching for purpose and meaning, join the adventure.

This blog, in part, is about risk-taking.

But taking risks doesn't mean running at 110% or pretending you are.

Sometimes the risky move is to stop and wait.

Sometimes the bold move is to say, I don't need to play that game, I'm going to stop...
and just be.

I'm going to wait...
and see.

I don't need to claim, brag or pretend... 

to be busy.