I still feel too busy every now and then, but I’ve come across some ways to solve it. Here are my reminders.

I feel busy, when I think I don’t have time. But do we actually own time? Trying to exert ownership over something that can’t be owned is a lost battle.

But it’s so easy to think, “These 8 hours of my time are for work, and those 8 hours are for sleep. Now this half an hour is my ME time.”. So how do we feel at peace as we go down this one way street of time?

Here’s an alternative way to think about it. Time is a concept we use to make plans and collaborate with other humans. We only ever experience the present moment. The past is a memory and the future is an imagination. Time is a tool to organise our thoughts. If we realise that, then it doesn’t have to be our master.

When we embrace the present moment, we don’t feel busy. We only feel busy when we worry about the future or wish things were different. 

Does it mean giving up our productivity and skills in planning, which we are so proud of? No. I mean just chill for a while. When inspiration and motivation come, you won’t even want to stop. And then work becomes like playing. When we play, we fully experience the moment, and function at our best.

I used to worry a lot about not wasting time. I try to optimise everything in life. But recently, I had a couple of months of down time, where I just rested a lot. I took long walks and listened to audiobooks. I learned new skills. I meditated and stopped being busy. I felt really lazy and wondered if I’d feel motivated again. But one day I woke up with so much energy and inspiration. I felt like my creativity and productivity were better than ever. Clarity and motivation will come. Have the courage to rest when you need.

P.S. I heard turmeric and blueberries are good for anxiety. They may work better than all these reflections.

• happiness
• mental health