The “busy phenomena” is an epidemic that is hitting everyone hard. It seems that being busy has become directly related to how important you are (which is totally not the case). However it’s not only about being busy, it’s also about telling people how busy you are.
As college students it seems that we are always trying to “out busy” each other. I’ll tell my friend that I have a paper due as well as a test tomorrow and she’ll fire back how she has two papers and a test and work and a quiz.
Tim Kreider wrote in “The ‘Busy’ Trap” that “busyness is a virtue, so many people are terrified of hearing they may have empty time.” It’s like being told that you’re useless or insignificant.
The fact of the matter is that we have a lot more free time than we think if we would just sit down and breathe and get out of our heads that if we aren’t doing something we’re wasting our time. As college students we are stressed enough with the amount of work we have to do, so filling our days even more to make it seems like we’re even busier is not only unnecessary it’s also putting more stress on us.
John Robinson, a sociologist, points out that “It’s very popular, the feeling that there are too many things going on, that people can’t get in control of their lives and the like but when we look at people’s diaries there just doesn’t seem to be the evidence to back it up…It’s a paradox. When you tell people they have 30 or 40 hours of free time every week, they don’t want to believe it.”
Now how do we cure ourselves of this Busy Bug? The first step is to stop telling ourselves that we are so busy. This only causes us more anxiety about our to-do-lists.
It is also important to block out an hour or two if not more of free time for yourself so you can de-stress. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t fold your clothes and put them away, no professor is going to know if you don’t start your homework as soon as you get home, scheduling less hours at work to focus on yourself isn’t going to hurt your bank account drastically and your brain will thank you for it.
Here are five other relaxation tips for curing yourself of the Busy Bug:
1. Netflix
Some binge watching suggestions:
“Once Upon a Time” – fantasy/adventure
“Scandal” – drama
“Parks and Recreation” – comedy
2. Retail Therapy
I am all for shopping away the stress even though my bank account cries every time I step into the mall. But sometimes (always) a girl just needs a new pair of shoes to feel better about herself. In the wise words of Aziz Ansari “Treat yo self.”
Does this really need more of an explanation? Chocolate, vanilla, rocky road, etc. with all the toppings please.
4. Sleep it off
Midday naps are nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, they’re a college students best friend. Grab a pillow, tell your roommates to quiet down and have sweet dreams!
5. Wine
Coming home and sipping on a glass of wine after a long day is the perfect destresser. Chardonnay, Merlot, White Zinfandel, Moscato, box or bottle. There’s no wrong choice when it comes to wine.