I'm never too busy

LegacyUser

I'm not sure if this is really a problem or not, but I've always wondered about it.

I'm a woman in my twenties. I'm a student in a long, intense college course. Whenever I have holidays, I work full time in the field I was in prior to returning to college.

I have a wide circle of friends and a good social life. I'm close to my family.

I have loans, bills and rent to pay. I keep my house clean and tidy. I have some great hobbies.

The thing is, I often hear people saying that they were too busy to do certain things: e.g. 'Oh, I didn't reply to his text, I was so busy'. and 'I'm too busy to do x/y/z - I'll do it next week' or 'I'll visit Paul instead - Liam lives too far away (referring to a five mile difference)'.

If I get a message, I reply because it takes ten seconds. If someone wants coffee, I can always spare half an hour. If washing needs doing, I toss it in the machine because it takes only a minute.

Some of these people work fewer hours than I do, some have narrower (not necessarily closer) circles than I do, some have far fewer loans/bills/commitments.

The thing is, I never feel overstretched.

It's not a problem as such - I mean, nobody is saying they're too busy for me. My life certainly doesn't feel empty. I don't feel like my time is disrespected because I can find it. But I hear about people being too busy for stuff - I'm just not. I'm genuinely wondering what people get up to that makes them too busy for other things - they (for the most part) don't have partners or children - the ones I know who do are actually less likely to claim over-occupation!

I'm not saying I'm better than them. I'm not saying they're useless for being busy. I'm just wondering if anyone has any idea where their time could be going and why mine is so plentiful and I still have spare time left over.

I anticipate a few replies such as 'I don't know what they do and what you do', but my main aim here is to find out if there's anything blatantly obvious I'm not taking into account.

Seraphina

You just sound like a really motivated and hard working person I don't think there's anything wrong with you at all in fact I wish I was more like you!

I'm probably one of those people that says they're too busy to do things or never gets round to them simply because I'm a little bit lazy. Not everyone is like me obviously, but I find I sometimes spend more time thinking about something I have to do and moaning about doing it than I would actually just getting it over and done with!!!

It's a time management thing really, some people are just better at it than others. I often find myself wasting time doing nothing when I could be doing something useful just because I imagine it'll take too long and I have something to do later!

You sound like someone who is out there grabbing life by the balls, and making plenty of time to do all the things you want to! You've gotta realise that some people just live at a slower pace. For some people, just going to work every day is a big deal, and they only do other things at weekends. Others go to the gym before hand, work, go to university/night classes after, meet friends, see movies and go for drinks. Everyone is different!

beks101

Being 'too busy' for basic stuff like you mentioned is one of two things; 1. bad time management or 2. a handy excuse.

I use it quite often for both of those reasons, but then I'd be in a different situation to many people (though not that many) in that my job is my life Monday to Friday because it has to be, 13 and 14 hour shifts aren't rare. That, coupled with poor time management, means that on some weekdays I don't have time to go to the bathroom, never mind meet someone for coffee!

However, in the case of texting someone back etc...as you mentioned, this is something that takes 5 seconds so being 'too busy' is just a little bit too convenient.

It's not something I'd particularly worry about to be honest OP. Like Seraphina, I'd kill to be a bit more like you - you sound super efficient, organized and motivated!

People say they're too busy when they just can't be arsed, most of the time. Like you, I had a very packed schedule this year with a full time MA, two part time jobs, freelance work, friends and a boyfriend and I never had a problem finding 20 seconds to text someone back or firing off an e-mail, yet my friend who works 8 hour days on reception somehow can't find that time. You should see my flatmate. Won't go to Tesco for milk cos it's too far (10 seconds further down the street than the convenience store), won't ever go and buy toilet roll when it's her turn because she doesn't have time, won't cook dinner because it just takes way too long even though she does nothing but study and sit in the house. It's surely obvious to her that I have way more on my plate than she does, yet she sees nothing wrong with looking at me and telling me she's too busy. I don't really care that some people are lazy or can't manage their time or just don't feel like doing things, but it annoys me when they claim they're 'busy' when they're blatantly not.

Agent J

People have different views on how they spend their time.

For some people having 2 main thing to focus on overloads them.. for others they can manage a lot more. Some people can multi task.. others can't...

Everyone has 24hours in the day. Some people spend them better then others.

Dont waste any of yours wondering how others spend theirs

PhysiologyRocks

I can definitely relate to this, but I don't see it as a problem. I'm studying medicine and I work when I have time off. I also have family, friends and hobbies.

My situation doesn't quite parallel yours as I live with my parents, but when comparing myself to others in circumstances similar to my own, I don't seem to get short of time as such, and I don't use 'too busy' as an excuse.

Sometimes just before an important exam I may choose to neglect my laundry for a day or so, or to sleep for an extra half hour rather than pursue an interest, but this is not due to physically not having the time - this is a choice I make (and I'd never say I was too busy).

I'll always reply to people. I really think I'd waste more energy feeling bad about ignoring someone than I would on sending a simple message. The only time I'd even leave it off for an hour or so is if I'm physically in the middle of a task or activity, such as giving a grind or having a conversation with someone.

I don't get 'worn out' very easily and I think that some people do. As with yourself, OP, I'm not giving myself a pat on the back and looking down on others. I'm just agreeing with other people who replied in saying that you're not alone in not being too busy!

AckwelFoley

OP, you - from your post just sound like a really nice person - doing what needs to be done and keeping time for other people.

Most people that say they "are too busy" are simply too busy with themselves.


Dont feel there is anything wrong with your view on life or anything else - you seem pretty tuned in to me

Curry Addict

children = busy.

LegacyUser

Thanks for the replies everyone. It's good to see that I don't seem to have some sort of vacuum that everyone else seems to have filled!

Giuliana Colossal Steam and PhysiologyRocks - thanks in particular!

Curry Addict wrote: »

children = busy.

I think you may have misread my original post. I said that my friends with children/relationships are far less likely to be/claim to be too busy to do something. Of course I understand that they can make you busy.

Just to clarify, it's not that I'm never busy/can't understand being busy. It's just the too busy part I have a bit of trouble with!