Define Busy

“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” 

Socrates

One of the perks of writing a blog is to look back on what we have written in the past and then reflect upon the changes that have come with living a few extra years. Do we share the same ideas and values that we had 10 years ago, or in my case, 13 years ago.

Back to 2012

In my July 12, 2012 post, I attempted to define the word “busy”. Here is an excerpt from the post:

Busy is defined as being engaged in an activity such as work or a pastime.  For most of us, busy is the opposite of leisure.  If you aren’t busy, then you are not engaged in any activity.  You can see how our minds can play tricks with this idea.   If you aren’t busy, then something must be wrong. If you aren’t busy, you aren’t working.  If you aren’t busy, you’re lazy…and so on and so forth.

It seems that busy equals:  activity that can be quantified, visualized and have a tangible outcome.  And this is when the definition of “busy” becomes interesting.  Here are some scenarios that I have come across in the past.

“I have so many work projects that I am having difficulty with my work-life balance.  Everyone is calling me to be on a committee and I just can’t say “no.”   Translation: I am an indispensable employee and everyone depends on me.  I am important.

“I’m so busy with my children – the music lessons, art classes, soccer practices and dental appointments.  Every morning I pack them a nutritious lunch – you know, with multigrain bread and carrot sticks.”  Translation: I am a good mother.

“The weekends are so busy.  I’ve been invited to two parties on Saturday and now some other friends have invited me to go to a concert.  I can’t decide what to do.”  Translation:  I am popular.

Living Beautifully in Our Own Way

Socrates was right – beware the barrenness of a busy life.

But I would like to consider whether is it possible to redefine “busy” in a more holistic framework. To be actively or fully engaged has the potential to be life-affirming in providing purpose and direction in life. Meaningful work or projects brings a sense of fulfillment. Being involved within a compassionate community fosters connections. Participating in life, treasuring moments, managing responsibilities, learning new things, allows us to grow and adapt.

When we redefine busy in those personal terms, rather than in comparison to others or to external benchmarks, we cultivate a richer, more fulfilling life. Embracing our unique journeys allows us to appreciate the depth of our experiences, nurturing a sense of authenticity that transcends societal expectations.

I believe that when we shift our definition of busy away from societal measures and toward personal significance, we enrich our lives and open ourselves to more meaningful experiences, allowing us to truly live beautifully.

#LifeWellLived #LivingWell #MeasurementSystems

I remember watching a video a few days back about "cursed units" and it included the megawatt-hour and the kilometers per second per megaparsec.

I just thought of another cursed unit, to be used specifically with a conversion factor: The mile-second per meter-hour.

Specifically, 2.237 mi•s/m•hr (rounded to 3 decimal places) converts speed in metres per second to miles per hour.

#Science #Math #MeasurementSystems