“Don’t be so busy living that you forget you have a life.” I don’t remember where I read this phrase, but in these times, where the world seems to spin at a dizzying speed, it fits us like a glove. Sometimes we are so busy that we forget to live.
Expectations, the demands of those around us, work tasks, social commitments and technology take up a large part of our lives. We become real jugglers in the distribution of time in order to be able to accomplish everything and satisfy everyone, but in the end, there is one person who is always relegated to the background, the one who has to pick up the crumbs of time: ourselves.
The funny thing is that we almost never realize that this is a contradiction because in the movie of our life we should be the protagonists. We cannot settle for a secondary role.
And while we strive to accomplish everything, we forget to live. We oversaturate ourselves with tasks that not only take up our time but are even harmful to our mental balance. We convince ourselves that these tasks are important because we literally believe a series of beliefs that society has transmitted to us.
The erroneous beliefs that fill you with work and prevent you from enjoying life
1. Social recognition generates satisfaction. We tend to believe that when others recognize our work, we will feel satisfied, happy, and fulfilled. However, the truth is that social recognition generates a very ephemeral satisfaction, so ephemeral that it is really not worth spending so much time and effort on it. This does not mean that we should not do things for society, but the driving motive should not be social recognition but inner satisfaction. As Confucius once said, “choose a job you like and you will never work a day in your life.”
2. Money makes you happy. Our society feeds consumerism, it needs it to survive. That’s why it feeds false needs and makes us believe that having the most powerful car, the biggest house and the latest smartphone model will make us happier. However, multiple studies have shown that money does not make you happy, human relationships are our main source of satisfaction. Running after money often means pushing happiness further away and losing inner peace. Frank Clark couldn’t have put it better: “modern man embarks on a frantic race trying to earn enough to buy things he doesn’t have time to enjoy.”
3. I have no other choice. Many people spend decades in a job they don’t like, live in a place they don’t like, and hang out with people they have nothing in common with simply because they think they have no other choice. The truth is that there will always be good excuses for not get out of the comfort zone. And there are always alternatives, but sometimes we are the ones who have to forge that other path. It is not served on a silver platter, but we must make an effort to change the course of our lives when it does not satisfy us.
4. I am indispensable. Many people suffer from Superman Syndrome, they think that only they are capable of doing a certain task. It is possible that due to your experience or ability, you are better than others in certain areas but that does not mean that others are not capable. The day you are not there, the world will continue to turn because you are not indispensable. When a piece is missing in the gear, the rest of the pieces are repositioned so that the mechanism continues to function. Therefore, learn to delegate, this way you will have more time for yourself and, in the process, you will give someone the opportunity to learn.
5. I am more productive working against the clock. It is true that some people are more productive working against the wall, with deadlines. However, do you know why? We are more productive because our stress level increases and our body secretes a series of hormones that give us the extra energy we need. However, among these hormones are cortisol and adrenaline, when their levels remain high for a long time, our metabolism suffers and we get sick. Therefore, although it may be true that you are more productive working against the clock, that does not mean that it is healthier.
6. Everyone does it this way. Chances are everyone around you leads the same lifestyle and you look in their mirror. However, when it comes to happiness and personal satisfaction, the saying “a billion flies can’t be wrong” doesn’t apply. Happiness is a personal journey, if you are not satisfied with what you are doing right now, it doesn’t matter if everyone around you is doing it that way, you need to change. Also, you should know that we tend to overestimate the level of happiness of others. So, don’t look around trying to imitate what a person you think is happy does, look within yourself for the answers.
7. Relaxing is synonymous with laziness. There are people who act as if they had a rope, pushing themselves further and further, even when their strength is failing, just because they believe that doing nothing is synonymous with laziness. In reality, taking a break and relaxing is essential to being more productive and achieving a good psychological balance. Always moving forward, without re-evaluating our goals, implies walking through life with blinders on. From time to time it is necessary to stop, reflect and, if necessary, change our lifestyle.
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