Socrates, the founder of Western philosophy, knew nothing of today’s modern world. He lived in ancient Greece, mostly in Athens, during the fifth century BC. And yet he might have delivered a lesson to us all when he said, “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”
We’ll all been guilty of it: In moments of stress, we’ve run around, telling anyone who’ll listen how busy we are, not stopping to think about how productive we’re being, what we’re actually achieving, or the areas of our lives that we’re neglecting.
There’s plenty to keep us busy in 2024. The modern world is fast-paced and full of pressure, with work, home, and social lives all vying for our attention 24/7.
Being busy was once seen as a status symbol. It suggested someone who was driven and go-getting. But as society looks increasingly inward, toward mental health and the benefits of mindfulness, could being too busy be seen as signifying something out of balance?
Keep reading to find out.
Socrates valued the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge of the self over wealth and power
Being passionate and driven in your career is no bad thing. It helps you perform to the best of your ability and can help you grow professionally, and financially. But work-life balance is important too.
You might remember back in October 2023 that we wrote about Why being a bit more (or a bit less) Wolverine could help you avoid burnout, taking advice from Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman.
He advocates for the so-called “85% rule”, which involves working at 100% capacity for 85% of the time. Jackman says that this is more sustainable than trying to operate at 100% all the time and could lead to better productivity in the long run.
The 85% rule taps into an important point. When it comes to work, might it be quality over quantity that counts? Swedish workers would say “yes”.
In Sweden, workers adopt the principle of “lagom”, which translates to “just the right amount”. That means completing the tasks they need to finish during the working day and then clocking off. Leaving work in the office allows Swedes to enjoy their downtime and then return to work feeling refreshed and able to focus.
It’s not something many of us have mastered. Recent research from travel company Tui, published in the Scotsman, finds that more than 90% of British business owners work while on holiday.
Rather than working late into the night, at weekends, or on the beach, try to draw a definite line between work and home hours. Concentrate on quality over quantity while at work and use your downtime to work and focus on the things that really matter.
A better work-life balance means abandoning perfectionism and making time for nothing
Working all the hours available to you might feel like it’s improving your chances of achieving perfection. But is this true?
Not only might overworking lead to mistakes and poorer performance, but you’ll likely find that true perfection isn’t attainable anyway.
If you feel you still need to strive for perfection, forget perfection at work and aim for the perfect schedule of work versus home time instead.
Remember that you can’t physically retain 100% focus at all times. Our bodies naturally ebb and flow between focus and fatigue.
Time away from your desk could help to:
- Improve concentration
- Reduce stress
- Increase engagement.
Try taking regular 15-minute breaks, maybe every 90 minutes or so. And use this time to free your mind. Go for a walk or engage your colleagues in non-work chat.
There are several other techniques you might try too
- Learn to say “no”
You might be constantly busy because you never say no. This could be at work or home.
You might thrive on always moving, going from a busy working day to a packed calendar of gym and social events after work. But learn to say no, not only to your boss, your colleagues, and your friends, but to yourself too.
Don’t feel pressure to be busy to prove you’re being productive.
- Scheduling time to do nothing could improve your physical and mental health
Think about the things that make you feel relaxed and try to schedule them into your day, assigning them the same level of importance as that high-level meeting or the gym class you’re booked on.
A good work-life balance can help to reduce stress and provide time out to be mindful. Use it to centre yourself and be grateful for the important people around you. It could help to keep you fit and emotionally healthy.
- Make time for family and friends
You might tell yourself that you’re working hard to support your family and give them the life deserve but remember that you need to be physically there for them too.
If that means scheduling time, then do it. Allow yourself quality downtime with those you love and you’ll be grateful for the chance to recharge your batteries. You might even get a fresh perspective on the barrenness of your busy life.
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