Enlight 21

Health: The Brightside of Busy

Author: Zoe Byun | Category: Lifestyle | Date: 01-24-2021

In his op-ed “The ‘Busy’ Trap,” Tom Kreider explains that being busy all the time is not a good thing, but rather a self-reassurance. He reasons that this is because if people are not occupying themselves with something to do, they will feel lazy or unproductive. Another point that he raises is that if people are consistently “busy,” they will have no opportunities for the activities they truly enjoy. While I agree with most of what Kreider says in his essay, like how being immersed in work at 24/7 is overwhelming, I believe that having too much downtime can be a negative thing.

Firstly, Kreider mentions that it is important for people to be able to use their time to live without “hustle” in order to experience a fulfilling life. However, if everyone has all the time in the world to do things, won’t it suck up all the enjoyment that they feel when they are finally able to do the things they don’t normally get to do? I think that if people are unoccupied, it will make free time less special, and there will be nothing to look forward to in life. Sure, when I am consistently wrapped up in all of the schoolwork I have, it is not joyful. I think about all of the things that I would rather be doing: hanging out with my friends and family, going for a walk, listening to music. But the moment that I finish all of my assignments, I am so excited to be able to do those things—I immediately text my friends and open up Spotify. If I didn’t spend all of my time on school, then I would constantly do the things that I usually itch to do. For example, during this past winter break, I had two weeks all to myself. In the beginning, it was nice to be able to sleep in and not have my mind clouded with due dates for six different classes. But by the end of it, I missed the feeling of having to do something; in short, I was bored. Thus, I think that it is good for people to be busy because then, the time that they do have at leisure will be rewarding and distinct.

Overall, while being “busy” on a day-to-day basis is not all positive, it is necessary to be involved with some not completely enjoyable activities to be able to fully appreciate the things we want to do. I think that it would be good for everyone to find their perfect balance of work and free time.