Why Busy Isn't Always Best: Spreading Yourself too Thin

Today, it’ll take a mere 2 minutes to search up articles that will tell you how to be as occupied as possible, the best clubs to join in order to impress college or university admission offices, or what skills employers are currently looking for.

As we live in a world where a wealth of information, clubs, conferences, committees and activities lie at our feet, it can often be easy to dive into a realm of “busy-ness”, overwhelming our schedules and cluttering our minds.

Busy as defined by Merriam Webster, refers to being: engaged in action, occupied.

Our society has developed a culture in which individuals take pride in saying “I only got 3 hours of sleep last night, I was up all night working” and in joining as many things as possible. Yet, it’s important to realize that being overly busy isn’t always the best choice - and that the idea of being “busy” can quite easily come with implications on your wellbeing, commitment to the causes/clubs/activities themselves, and one’s definition of being productive. Knowing your own limits can help you to be much more productive than you think!

Impacting your wellbeing

Don’t overwork yourself! Being “busy” can lead to sleepless nights, one too many hours at a desk, and an unhealthy amount of caffeine. If this sounds like the norm to you, it may be time to start re-evaluating where the hours in your day really go. Being overly stressed because you have too many things to do or deadlines for different clubs and teams is most likely not worth it in the end. Put yourself first! Realize that it’s okay for you to take breaks, and that time for yourself shouldn’t be a luxury - rather a daily habit.

Commitment

In the moment, it may seem nice to have your name on so many things - but spreading yourself too thin also comes with consequences relating to commitment. By ensuring you know your own limits, you’ll be able to tell how much work or commitment you can handle. If you go beyond this limit, it’s likely that you’ll find yourself sparsely involved in any of the activities you actually signed up for! Having less time for each activity means you’ll have less energy or devotion to each one, taking away from the time you could be spending making an impact or following a passion for the 1-3 clubs/societies you truly care about.

After speaking to a student currently studying at Harvard University, she spoke about the importance of dedicating yourself to only 2 or 3 main activities or clubs - and excelling within them. That way, you’ll have more energy and time to create IMPACT and make a difference within THOSE communities, which is far more impressive than just being a “participant” in 15 clubs. It’s also more rewarding for you - because you’ll be able to channel your passion and learnings into core activities that you’ll be fully committed to.

Productive ≠ Busy

Peter Drucker said it best: “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all”. Being productive does not necessarily mean you have to be busy! In fact, sometimes occupying yourself for the sake of occupying yourself can be counter-productive - with that time better spent unwinding, taking a break from work or reading a book.

Remember, it’s important that the things you ARE devoting your time to are actually items that are important to you, and are ones that you are passionate about! This way, you can ensure that your time is being put towards meaningful and desirable outputs.

Above all, being busy isn’t always best. Spreading yourself too thin might be less productive than you think!