The Benefits of Being Busy and Get Busy Being Happy

My friend, a Research Fellow at the University of Toronto, previously held a position as an Associate Teacher or Professor. He chose to leave his university position and venture into the business world by starting a variety store. The university job paid an annual salary of $40,000 to $50,000 but offered no job security, being contract-based or session-based. Interestingly, he was initially offered this position when he was working as a research scientist in Korea.

Get Busy Being Happy! The Benefits of Being Busy

He shared a valuable piece of wisdom with me: 'A poor, busy person is often happier than a rich, idle one.'

Why is being busy a good thing and how can it make me happy?

There are a number of benefits of being busy.

1) Feeling of Self-Accomplishment

Being busy gives a feeling of self-accomplishment. It gives a sense of adrenaline and a feeling of purpose. When you’re busy, your mind is switched-on and you are constantly thinking, making your brain work that little bit harder than it normally does. Think of a time when you had an absolutely super-packed weekend where you were constantly busy doing a number of different activities. How did you feel when you rocked up at work on a Monday morning and your colleague next to you asked “How was your weekend?” As you looked back over the weekend you just had, I’m sure you would have had a pretty good feeling about what you achieved! If not, then you were doing the wrong things!

Your life is an experiment. You get to create your own World.

If you’re busy and feeling overwhelmed and stressed, then potentially the activities you are doing that are making you busy are not the things that you really want to be doing.

What changes can you make to ensure that you are getting busy being happy? A key thing to remember, is to not forget about one of life’s most important tricks for keeping us energized, motivated and happy… sleep!

What’s your experience with being busy? How do you relax yourself? Are there any tweaks (twist, jerk) or changes to your life that you can implement to help you get busy being happy?

Recent research suggests that, though our instinct is for idleness, people will pick upon the flimsiest (weakest) excuse to keep busy. Moreover, people feel happier for being busy, even if their busyness is imposed upon them.

The Process of Engagement

Flow is the joy of doing something for the sake of doing it.

Flow is a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter.

Flow is a cognitive state where one is completely immersed in an activity - from painting and writing to prayer and surfboarding. It involves intense focus, creative engagement, and the loss of awareness of time and self.