IN THE MIND OF THE “CRAZY BUSY” PERSON

Have you noticed how it has become a common phrase to be crazy busy? In fact, we have shifted culturally to attach status to those who are busy at work, are overworked and have a real lack of leisure time. We even see this as being more desirable than having material objects. Being busy is seen as a badge ofhonour and a marker of self-worth. A lack of leisure time is viewed as a direct indication of status. Yet, intuitively we know that over-scheduling yourself can negatively affect your emotional and physical health, as well as your ability to maintain healthy relationships.

What do you think happens in the mind of the crazy busy person? This mind is so busy processing stuff to do, daily activities and places to be that it is spinning out of control, with no end in sight. The truth is that you cannot feel awake and fully alive when your mind is crazy busy.

The experts say that most people today have around 17,000 to 50,000 thoughts a day, and that most of these thoughts are repetitive.

We have a lot going on in our heads, and this does not do much for mental or physical wellbeing. While we have much to do to combat the dangers of a society thinking that being busy makes you worthwhile, we can in our own lives take a serious look at our personal vicious cycles of overthinking. We can take a stand against being crazy busy in our own minds. When we do we create peace in the mind we thereby restore peace in the body as well.

Tips for creating quiet moments in our minds include:

1. Acknowledgement

We cannot get rid of thoughts, and pushing them out of our heads is just overexerting our minds instead of quieting it down. It is a misconception that facing our unpleasant thoughts will cause more unrest within us. By acknowledging how we are feeling and naming the feeling, we reduce that feeling’s hold over us. An example: if you have had an argument with someone and you keep replaying what happened in your mind, by observing how you are feeling and naming how you feel inside as anger, you come closer to accepting and thereby releasing the thoughts on repeat.

2. Breathing

Worry and anxiety negatively affect our breathing. Being on edge physically makes our chest tighten. The best approach is to relax and try some mindful breathing. Practise taking deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth, and focus on how your chest rises and falls as you inhale and exhale. With each breath try to let go of your thoughts, picture them leaving your mind on each exhale.

3. Nature

Nature is one of the best healing tools. By taking a moment outside to observe nature's beauty, smell the fresh air, feel the ground beneath your feet and appreciate all the shapes, colours and patterns around you, you automatically divert your mind and quiet your thoughts.

According to Mindowl “the power our thoughts have over our mental well-being can be overwhelming, and a step outside can be the tonic we need to redress the balance.”

4. Exercise

Exercise has an amazing effect on the mind, helping us to get out of it. Concentrating on our body redirects our attention from the repetitive thoughts and channels it to what we are feeling in our bodies.

It is a practice, and it can take time. But if we don’t try, we can become so attached to our stories that we end up being engrossed in and even imprisoned by what we are thinking. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that the mind is built to chatter and to make predictions, but that most of what it predicts doesn’t actually come true.

Often we also need to remind ourselves that our self-worth does not come from being productive or busy. Our self-worth is defined by who we are, not what we do.

And if you need more reason to embark on the practice of finding some stillness in your mind, in the words of Kamal Ravikant ”Life is from the inside out. When you shift on the inside life shifts on the outside."

Kirsty Watermeyer