The Truth About Being Busy

Most people believe that being "busy" is a sign of status.

But actually, having free time is a much better measure of success and freedom.

Being busy is a kind of disease — whether it’s real busy or fake busy.

Real busy means you have way too much to do in a short amount of time.

There’s no other choice but to get down to work non-stop.

Real busy can be completely normal and harmless if it only happens in the short term.

Not long term.

It can make you feel passionate — instead of distracted and burned out.

But be careful, because there’s also real passion and fake passion (we’ll get to that later).

Fake busy is pretending to be busy.

It’s a high-level excuse to trick yourself, ease anxiety, and feel important.

Many people don’t really do much, but still believe they’re “busy.”

When you fake being busy for a long time, it becomes a habit and a reflex.

I’ve seen friends like that — “busy” becomes their catchphrase, ready to pop out like a magic spell anytime: to escape blame, avoid things, or instantly boost their mood.

“I’m a busy person.”

When Fake Busy Becomes an Art

When your “fake busy” skills become too advanced, you’re not just fooling your friends, family, or strangers — you’re fooling yourself.

You’re doing nothing, yet you truly believe you’re busy.

And because you’re "busy", you end up doing even less.

This stage of self-deception is like a transformation into a kind of cancer.

Because now, you’re living in a bubble of illusion, completely disconnected from reality.

You’re no longer living as your true self.

The real danger?

You get so good at using “I’m busy” that you say it even to the most meaningful things in your life.

Busy — so you don’t have to talk kindly with your loved ones.

Busy — so you don’t have to give someone your full attention.

Busy — to avoid new challenges.

Busy — to not read.

Busy — to delay starting that thing you’ve wanted to do for 10 years.

Busy — to skip workouts, even though you really want to do them.

You’ll start to see that fake busyness becomes your go-to excuse.

It works.

And because it works and boosts your (false) ego,

it becomes something easy to overuse.

To be more precise: it becomes your default.

An addiction.

Now imagine flying up 3,000 meters into the sky and looking down.

You’ll realize — it’s not just you.

Everyone’s fake busy.

Just like you.

Hopefully, you’ll wake up to the fact that you’re not only the one attacking — you’re also being attacked.

By society.

By your friends, your family, your clients, your coworkers,

even by strangers.

You want to meet them?

They say they’re “very busy.”

Work, career, family.

A million things.

Some even come up with long stories for every different kind of “busy.”

Their storytelling skills? Next level.

The Masters of Excuses

Some people are even smoother — they won’t say “I’m busy” right away.

They agree to meet.

But last minute — or the day before — they call with some “sudden emergency.”

Tada!

You feel deceived.

You know too well that their reasons are made up.

Just stories.

Because they’re the exact same stories you used to use.

Over and over.

You know the script by heart.

They’re just lazy.

They want to say no.

Or maybe, you're simply not as important to them as you thought.

You just haven’t dared to face that truth yet.

You still want to believe you matter in their life.

But think about it:

Whether it’s real busy or fake busy —

Are we going to stay “busy” until we’re 70?

If you’re “busy” as a student,

you’ll still be “busy” when you start working.

You’ll still be “busy” when you retire.

This is what life looks like now.

We avoid others — sure.

Maybe they’re not worth your time.

Maybe they’re not that important.

But here’s the real problem:

We’re also avoiding ourselves.

That’s right.

Work. Career. School. Future.

Boss. Promotion. Clients.

Fancy words.

So fancy that we forget something even more precious:

You.

Your purpose in life.

Your family. Your memories. Your relationships.

Your physical health.

Your mental well-being.

Your sense of meaning.

...

These are the things we never realize the true value of —

until they’re gone.

Things you still have now,

but you fool yourself into thinking they’ll still be there

in 2 years,

5 years,

10 years.

You Traded It All — For "Busy"

You’ve made a trade — to earn that word: “busy.”

Whether it’s real or fake.

In the long run.

And who knows when it will ever end?

“Busy” is no longer just a part of your life.

Busy is your life.

Forever.

But let’s imagine — just for a moment —

that you’ve finally cured yourself of the fake busy disease.

Now you’re only “truly” busy.

Yes, maybe you never faked being busy at all.

Maybe you really are always busy.

And you never lied about it.

If so, I’m sorry.

Sorry for thinking badly of you.

But.

Even real busyness is a disease.

From "Don't follow the crowd"