Encouragement
Is Being Busy Your Business?
by Dan Langerock
Busyness seems to be epidemic in America. Even after retirement, you can see retirees rushing around. The problem with being busy is that often we shut out those who care about us, and whom we treasure. Whether it is in the name of making more or enough money, busyness can rupture and estrange your relationships with friends and loved ones. Let's take a look at why people often say they are busy:
A Lot of Work to Do
This can be a legitimate reason unless we are using it to hide from working on our relationships. Let's say your marriage is not doing so well right now, so you could "hide" in your work saying you were too busy to spend enough time at home. This attitude will build resentment and make things worse until you decide to do something about it. Seek to work on problems as they arise, as you do in your work life, instead of delaying until it may be too late.
Value
Do you feel more valuable and needed at work than you do in your home environment? Do you feel bad you are not "accomplishing" anything in your off-time? Do you feel your coworkers appreciate you more than your family and friends at home do? Is it hard for you to let go of the "world" of work and readjust to the "world" of family and relationships? Do you feel guilty at home because you are not doing something you quantify as work? Only you can answer these and other questions, and it takes time, honesty, and introspection to answer them. Do you care enough about your relationships to deal with the answers that you find?
Priorities and Boundaries
Have you looked at how your time is arranged compared to what is required during that period? Is your life full of physical as well as other kinds of clutter? For example, when someone asks you to take on a new responsibility, do you think about if you can do it well before accepting or just add it to your list without thinking of the consequences to your other areas of interest? It is easier to say "yes" because then we don't have to hurt someone's feelings by saying "no". Do you really need something else to occupy your day? How does what you are being asked to do compare to what you want your life to represent?
Busyness, in itself, is nothing to be ashamed of. But take a look at the motives and reasons behind this concept, don't just figure it is a part of life and dismiss it as unimportant. Sometimes, when we feel more "at home" at work, it feels safer to remain in that world of our own making. Those in that other parts of our lives that comprise our home time, don't always understand what we are going through at work and it is hard to translate so they can understand. It is much easier to withdraw into the "shell" of work and dismiss the other vital parts of our lives.
For a time in our marriage we owned a thrift shop. My wife was at home taking care of an aged person while I was running the store for about 12 hours a day, six days a week. We almost lost our marriage because of these and other reasons. When you see danger signs, take the time to investigate, then remedy the situation before your relationships are shipwrecked on the rocks of estrangement and divorce.
Work, indeed, is important in life, but it is not the only thing that needs your attention. Despite what you may believe, you need the relationships outside of the work environment to bring dimension to life. Put the same effort you use to do a good job at work, into the relationships that surround it, and your life will be more rewarding and fulfilled. Don't let work rob you of those you love and care about.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 615 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Dan Langerock or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 615 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.