Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Busyness or a Chaotic Life Style

These days many find  themselves busy. One of the first words uttered in a telephone conversation: "You must be very busy" as they begin talking.  A university professor dares to show us the difference between busyness and chaotic living in his Catholic Times' column.

What does it mean to be  busy? The numbers of those who think they are busy aren't as large as one would think,  but rather  many are living a chaotic lifestyle. They say they are busy but examining the life one comes away with a different understanding.

With a  chaotic way of living making a promise to meet someone is not difficult but when the time arrives the conversation is disordered, and difficult to stay concentrated. During the conversation when the smartphone rings, quickly receiving consent with a facial expression, one begins talking. After finishing talking they  return to the  partner in conversation and ask: "Where were we in our discussion?" In conclusion, they met to talk about an issue but now put it off to another time in the future when they will be less busy.

On the other hand, those who are really busy, selecting a date is not easy,  but once a date is agreed upon, the allotted time is used to accomplish all that was envisioned peacefully, with no rushing as if the person involved had nothing else to do, and not disturbed by the ringing of the smartphone (very likely on silent). Busy people respect the preciousness of time of those with whom they are talking as important as their own time.

Where is the difference in the busy person's time and the other? It  will depend on what a person considers the center of his life. Whether it is his own needs which determine  the priority  or whether it is the needs of the situation in which  persons find themselves. This will determine  whether the person is busy or living a disordered life. 

What are the results of a chaotic life? There are many signs but our columnist sees the lack of focus on what is present as the most important sign. An example would be  when the need to be attentive to what is being done the person is playing around with the smartphone, or during Mass  receiving or sending text messages or not listening to the person with whom one is speaking and the like.

We are under the compulsive obsession that we need to be busy. It's a good impression society wants us to convey for it makes us feel we are accomplishing something. But if the life we  lead is not busy but chaotic,  we are not only tiring ourselves but fatiguing those with whom we are relating.

He concludes his article by asking himself is he truly busy or living a chaotic life? And ends with a prayer: "May this be not a chaotic day, but may the time that is given to me today be used wisely so that it will be truly a busy day."