Addicted to being busy?

We live in an era where flaunting our hectic schedules is considered cool, being pressed for time is trendy and multitasking all the time is productive. And many don’t realise they’re addicted to being busy. Though it’s not officially classified as a disorder, it can prove to be damaging in the long term. Experts give us the low down on it...

A HERD MENTALITY

Seema Hingorrany, clinical psychologist and trauma therapist, comes across such people all the time. It’s not gender specific but definitely  seen more in today’s era in those ranging from age seven to 50. “People use the ‘I’m so busy’ phrase more so as they follow the herd syndrome. They feel if they don’t use these words, they will not fit in and hence, to seek approval, people appear busier than they actually are,” she informs. Most people are lacking awareness or mindfulness. They are on hyper mode, on auto pilot, that’s called habit formation. Most seek help when they take on too much stress and go into depression or start having anxiety.

USING BUSYNESS AS A COPING MECHANISM

Being busy, over scheduling, working 24x7, multitasking, etc. is something that Bhakti Thakkar Bauva, consultant clinical psychologist, Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi — A Fortis Network Hospital, sees a lot in the age group of 25 to 45 years. “They are mostly professionals who are entrepreneurs with their own business, or sometimes working in an MNC in leadership roles. I, personally have seen almost equal number of males and females, who use busyness as a coping mechanism,” she says. They are aware that they are busy all the time, but feel that there is no other way, and theirs is the best approach.

CAUSES

The word busy has become synonymous with being successful. If you are a ‘busy’ person you are automatically important and sought after. In the last decade, ‘being busy’ has really picked up pace and most people feel only successful people are actually the ones, who have a busy life and if one wishes to be successful then one ought to be busy, informs Mansi Hasan, clinical psychologist and psychotherapist.

She adds that FOMO (fear of missing out), high drive, and our environments too are hugely responsible for this addictiveness as they are overstimulating, putting pressure on us to constantly compete with how fast the world is evolving around us. People with Type A personality who typically exhibit behaviours like being aggressive, workaholics, competitive, lacking patience, controlling and highly competitive are prone to this.

THE DOWNSIDE

Hingorrany sees clients suffering from severe burn out, chronic fatigue syndrome and major depressive episodes. They also suffer from anxiety symptoms. People also complain about anger, pain disorders and other physiological issues with such behavioural patterns.

It is usually seen that addiction to anything starts as a coping strategy. Bauva gives examples like, “I am too stressed at work, let me have a smoke to feel better. Or, I had a fight with my partner, I need a drink. Similarly, I am finding it difficult to sleep at night, so let me work so much that I pass out due to exhaustion.” There might be an underlying mental health concern like depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder, some form of abuse, sleep disorder or even a personality disorder. It means that the individual has an imbalanced, stressful life, where the problems are not resolved and are getting piled up. As the concerns are not going anywhere, they will only magnify with time, she warns.

COPING SUGGESTIONS 

Mansi Hasan shares the following tips:

• Spend at least 30 minutes daily with yourself doing nothing.
• Restrict your screen time.
• Slow down, don’t attempt to be super human.
• Initiate boredom.
• Sleep and eat well.
• Spend time with nature. Use your five senses to rejuvenate yourself.
• Connect to your inner self.
• Don’t be task-oriented, be life-oriented.
• Seek happiness, not in the form of materialistic success.