Life is busy. I don't think it matters what age you are, life will seem full and challenging. I've heard many older adults say that balance it doesn't get easier with time, but rather harder. However, no matter what age we are, we all have the same amount of time. What we accomplish is based on what we do with our time.
At George Fox University, there's one phrase that echoes throughout the school's buildings. As you might have guessed from the title of this post, that phrase is "I don't got time for that." It has other iterations too, such as "Ain't nobody got time for that."
What could this suggest? It depends on what the statement is referring to. Sometimes, I think this statement is correctly uttered by students who know their priorities and are saying no to things that are good, but not best for them. However, I would bet that the majority of the time, this is not the case.
1. We are over committed.
When this phrase is applied to necessary things like sleeping, eating, or other acts of self-care, it points to a deeper problem: over-commitment. Unless basic needs are met, people fall apart rather quickly.
2. Our priorities are wrong.
This phrase could indicate that we see our value in what we do, not who we are. We frantically rush from task to task and forget what actually matters, that we are more than the stress we feel.
3. We are surviving, not thriving.
This attitude can prevent us from doing anything well, just as easily as it can be a healthy one, suggesting we do what matters well. It's easy to fall in the trap where this becomes our first response to anything, including homework assignments. This is closely related to being over-committed. When we think in this way, we slowly stop doing anything fully or well, and start cramming. This is survival.
4. We don't care or we care too much.
This phrase can be used either way. Either we are prioritizing what really matters or we're losing sight of what matters.
5. We're driven by time, not relationships.
I've often heard this phrase uttered as an excuse not to be present, particularly in chapel. This suggests that we care more about temporal assignments than God. Used in other ways, there's no time for relationships. Sometimes this looks like people never calling home. For others, it looks like working through mealtimes and never building meaningful friendships.
The phrase "I don't got time for that" is powerful, because it's indicative of what you value. I don't think this phrase should stop being used. To the contrary, it should be said more, but intentionally. If you find yourself uttering a similar phrase, stop and think about what's driving your statement. Chances are, it means more than a flippant excuse.
