If I Wasn't So Busy I Could.....

This weekend I was at my Mom's and I was encouraging her to get on this new Facebook thingy so she could better stay in touch with her grandkids.  Her answer, which she has given me before, was that she was just too busy.  My Mom is retired and plays a fair amount of bridge but I think she could probably squeeze in a few minutes here and there so I probed.  We didn't really come to any conclusion, it wasn't a fear of technology, or a fear of something new.  It was mostly a prioritization thing, she wasn't interested enough to prioritize it over anything else.

Curiously enough, the NY Times had a piece on Sunday about almost this exact topic called "The 'Busy' Trap' - you can read it here.

The take away for me is that "Being Busy" is a state of mind.  I work with some people that are so incredibly busy that they can't get basic things done.  While others seem to get a ton of things done and always willing to take on another challenge.

I like to consider myself a pretty organized guy, I don't stress too much, I work hard but not excessive number of hours.  So as the CEO of a company, how do I have time for coaching our kids, playing basketball and softball, reading magazines/books, and the occasional Facebook post.  The answer is really pretty simple, you just do it.  Figure it out.  You prioritize things you want to do over other things.  It simply comes down to choice.  Do you choose to watch that reality TV show or do something else?  Do you choose to wake up early and exercise or sleep in ? (I choose sleep in)

So the takeawy for my Mom is - it's not that she doesn't have time for Facebook, it's simply she chooses to prioritize other things over it.  

P.S. - Hi Mom, tell TK I miss him.

Comments

[Sue Dammers]

I couldn't agree more. With three kids, a husband, a house, aging parents and a full time job I still find myself helping at school functions, never missing a soccer or basketball game and attending all my kids' dance recitals and gymnastics competitions. Someone once asked me, How do you get it all done? My answer was the same as yours, "I don't know exactly, I just Do... I keep Doing." Certainly the vacuuming and laundry does not get done as timely as it once did but it is about priority and choice.