The busy-women-syndrome really exists. Do you have it bad?
It was over. I decided to never do it again, but for the past few weeks I haven't been able to. I stutter a bit when someone asks and then I admit it and say it: I'm busy.
Busy, busy, busy. What does being busy actually mean? For me, it works something like this. When I smoothly wake the coffee machine to life, meanwhile opening my laptop, answering the phone because it rings, searching for a Trending Topic with one eye and scrolling through my email with the other, then the day starts normally and I'm totally in controllll. When I'm busy, I run back and forth between the laptop and coffee machine, trip over my cord, don't hear my phone ringing, forget to respond to messages, the laundry piles up and three-quarters of my groceries are left behind in the supermarket. I turn into a raging cyclone; a benign one, that’s for sure. But when the ‘A’ is due for a storm, you could call her Adeline. In ‘busy‘ times, that is.
Back to being busy, because there is such a thing as the busy-women-syndrome. It's only been around for a short time, just four years. The busy-women-syndrome confirms that we are busy, thank goodness, but also says that we do it to ourselves. Huh, pardon? That extra project can definitely fit in, you can cycle around for an errand, and no way are you going to sit idly when you have an afternoon of nothing. Because then you have to have lunch with that friend you haven't seen in ages, take a hot yoga class, or visit that cute little grocery store, because they are always closed when you have time to go. Sounds familiar? Then you really have it bad, I must say.
How come? In the past, dad did his work on location and mom did hers from home. That’s certainly not the case anymore (thankfully), and so we just do everything now. Our ‘fight or flight’ system never switches off because of that. Result? Busy, busy, busy and stress, stress, stress. High blood pressure here, migraine there, hyperventilation around the corner, and a little panic attack in between. But good news: there is something to be done about it. The solution? Stop literally making yourself busy, no longer being available 24/7, and doing something with that free time. But then something that actually feels like being free. A little lounging with Netflix in the background, a day at the spa, reading a book (more than three pages), and ignoring everyone. Easier said than done, but who doesn’t dare… Am I going to stop saying that I'm busy now, or I might just get that syndrome. Done with it, basta!
Oh, by the way, these are the 8 ways you can act as if you are busy. For when you don't suffer from this syndrome.
Source: Grazia.co.uk
