5 unexpected benefits of being busy

Is it just me, or has this entrepreneurial, business-owning, child-wrangling world become prone to busy-ness?

It seems that our default answer to the question, ‘How are you?’ has become, ‘Busy!’.

And there’s a good reason for this. While you may associate ‘being busy’ with feeling frantic, exhausted or overwhelmed, there are many surprising benefits that come with keeping busy! However, there’s a fine line between ‘calm and organised busy’ vs frantic, ‘I-left-my-wallet-in-the-fridge’ kinda busy! (Yep, I’ve done that!). In this article, I share with you ‘5 unexpected benefits of being busy’.

#1. Increased energy

Have you ever been ‘in the zone’, getting stuff ticked off your ‘to-do’ list when you realise it’s 3pm and you haven’t even stopped for lunch yet? This used to happen ALL the time. For me, there’s something naturally energising about being busy. It’s like every cell in your body is on alert – waiting for the next ‘to do’ request that you can kick box to the kerb – Jacqui Chan style!

Since the birth of my children, I’ve worked for myself and built my businesses, alongside working other jobs and growing my family. If you know me, you know that I thrive on being busy. One of the ways that I maintain my mental energy is by eating a healthy diet that fuels my brain for the long term. Eating sugary foods – such as that oh so charming chocolate – can be tempting, especially when you’re busy. However, sugary foods will quickly result in an energy-crash. A good way to avoid this is to keep a stash of brain-boosting foods on hand such as nuts, seeds and blueberries.

#2. More productivity

How many times have you heard the saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it!” Heaps, right? It’s true. A study revealed that being busy can increase motivation and reduce task completion time. Busy people are more inclined to have a schedule, set goals and prioritise their workload so they become more productive. One of the reasons I created the Life Sorted App was to be able to streamline and prioritise all my family, business and life commitments in one place so that I could be more productive. This is why it’s so important to me that you are able to sync your work calendars with the Life Sorted app so that you can live one purposeful and productive life!

#3. Improved creativity

Do you ever have your best and most creative ideas come to you while you are walking, showering, driving or dreaming? That’s because it’s scientifically proven that you are at your most creative during dopamine-producing activities and when your mind is distracted. Therefore, being busy could very well improve your creativity! Keeping busy also challenges your brain to think creatively to come up with new solutions.

#4. Mental alertness

Research is still evolving but science suggests that staying cognitively and socially active may support brain health and possibly delay the onset of dementia. Mentally challenging activities, such as starting a hobby, learning a new skill, or studying may have short and long-term benefits for your brain. So next time someone tells you that you are too busy, you can let them know that you are boosting your brain health!

#5. Staying positive

Staying busy is a great way to combat negative emotions and stay positive. When our plans are in progress, we feel hopeful and motivated. Often when we’re busy, we don’t have time to dwell on feelings of worry, sadness, loneliness, anger or jealousy, which can be a good thing. In moderation, of course. If, you find that you are distracting yourself by being busy to mask other issues, it may be time to slow down and manage your emotional health first.

Some final thoughts…

Above all, it’s important that we make sure we are operating from a place of productivity and not from a place of panic. While I believe that being busy is a good thing for our body and soul, it’s equally important that we make quality time for our loved ones, including some ‘me time’ for ourselves!