When you say I’m too busy you’re making an excuse. You’re prioritizing in your mind, you’re telling yourself you couldn’t possibly do one more thing. It’d be too much, you couldn’t handle doing any more.
You’re telling yourself a story to justify how busy you are. It’s a defense mechanism of the lizard brain to protect our primal self from the uncertain outcome of whatever it is you’re too busy to do.
99% of the time this is not a good thing. Making excuses to do less is not going to help you get ahead in life. But we all do it. Have you ever said no to going out when a friend asked because you were too busy? Have you said no to a special volunteer project at work because you were too busy? Do you not get involved, help, volunteer, draw, sing, play guitar, write or dance anymore because you’re too busy?
Sorry to burst your bubble but everyone is busy, you’re not special. I’m not saying I’m immune, I’m saying this is something we all need to desperately work on, our success depends upon it.
The only difference between really successful people (who weren’t just lucky) and regular people is that successful people have figured out a way to do more. They work harder than the rest. They regularly commit to things beyond their capabilities. They stretch their personal boundaries enough to be out of their comfort zone a lot, that’s where the major learning lies.
On the contrary what if you weren’t too busy? What if you started trying to say yes more? (it worked out well for Jim Carrey) What if you started doing things more efficiently to give yourself more time*? What if you committed to something beyond what you think you’re capable of? What if you made a goal to not say “I’m too busy” anymore?
The easiest way to help yourself is by helping other people.
The next time someone asks you to do, join, or be a part of something and you want to say “I’m too busy” ask yourself if you really are too busy.
* – In an 8 hour day performing 8 tasks within that day, at a rate of 10% faster than usual(8 hours=480 minutes 480×10%=48 minutes). You’d have an extra 48 minutes in your day to do whatever you want with.
