The millennial generation is one that thrives on identities. Whether that identity be a dad bod, which has been shared almost 600,000 times online, the cool girl, which was coined by Gillian Flynn in the popular book and movie, "Gone Girl," or yuccies, a new term that offers itself as the "new hipster," these successful Odyssey pieces illustrate our generation's love of labels.
These almost function as fads that fade in and out, but something I'm noticing many of my peers identifying with currently is the idea of being busy.
Meghan Warford of Odyssey at Arkansas State recently published this piece, 6 Problems That Busy Girls Face Daily. It was shared frequently on my own Facebook feed and related to pretty deeply by many young women in my age group. The article says, "There are no words for the anxiety that occurs whenever our schedule gets messed up."
Is the "busy girl" becoming the new "cool girl?" I don't know, but I sure hope not.
Forcing yourself into anxiety isn't cool, and especially not over a messed up schedule. I'm not exactly sure where this problem comes from, but weekly agendas aren't something meant to be compared in some sort of contest.
I'm not going to say that being busy needs to stop, because life is always busy, and as the driven, ambitious people that we are, it doesn't look like the being busy is going to slow up anytime soon.
This is what needs to stop: the glorification of a busy schedule. Being busy does not make you superior or sophisticated, and honestly, there are a lot of things you miss out on when you pack your day full of productive activities.
When you suddenly become busy all the time, you become "too busy" for something else.
Will it be the friends you've known all your life but maybe haven't been as close with lately? Will it be your health, as sleep is for the weak? Will it be your family, who you just don't have the energy to drive an hour to see? Will it be your faith, as you need that hour for bible study for something else on your list? Will it be your love life, as you just don't have time to date anyone right now? Will it be yourself, as you feel more and more dissociated every day?
Friends, well-being, family, faith, relationships, and self-awareness are pretty important things. In fact, psychologists recognize these things as being intrinsic to human life. If being busy takes away from these things, I'd say you need to re-think your priorities.
What's the solution here? I'm not sure. It could be learning to combat the "yes" culture by saying "no" more often. It could be simply realigning our personal priorities, and making more time for personal things like our friends versus meetings and professional obligations.
Take your schedule, and build into it 24 hours every week just for yourself.
I recognize that schedules are beneficial for keeping order and an organized life is a happy life, but use that to your own advantage. Make an appointment for yourself and do something you like to do instead of something you have to do.
Watch a movie on Netflix. Make a dinner for your friends. Go home and play with your dog. Throw a football with your friends. Go to the mall. Write something creative. Listen to music and make a new Spotify playlist. Drive on backroads with the windows down.
Being happy with life isn't a bad thing. There's nothing cool about being too tired or busy all the time. After all, having fun in life may even increase your productivity.
