GEORGE V MAGAZINE
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The need to be constantly engaged can become a habit that drains our mental and physical health. The constant desire for activity, recognition and a sense of achievement can become a vicious cycle that is difficult to break out of. Are you addicted to constant activity?
When we complete a certain task, receive praise for our success or recognition for our efforts, dopamine is released, the pleasure hormone that motivates us to repeat such behaviors. It is this desire for dopamine that can make us addicted to the sense of fulfillment and progress. It is not an addiction to busyness itself, but to the satisfaction that comes with achieving goals and progressing in our plans.
Often when we talk about addictions, we first think of drugs, alcohol or food. However, addiction can also be related to anything that creates a strong habit, whether it is constant engagement or the need to achieve results. Constant activity and a sense of accomplishment can create just such a habit.
This is not an invitation to be less ambitious – on the contrary!
It’s about rethinking how you allocate your time, where you direct your energy, and whether that effort is paying off for you. The goal is that the time you dedicate to your duties is really productive, and that what you do really makes sense and contributes to your progress.
Choose activities in which you have natural inclinations and talents, and which motivate you. For example, I have never been a runner; I hated running at school and was never built for it. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t be successful in sports – I excelled in tennis, hockey and many other disciplines. So, if you’re an ambitious woman who feels pressured to be good at everything, maybe it’s time to change your focus and focus your energy on what you can really shine at.
In today’s world, the message is often sent that we need to be faster, stronger and more successful. If women had to work harder and prove themselves, the result is that we have become extremely capable and determined. But achieving success doesn’t always mean doing the hardest tasks or pushing ourselves in directions that make us unhappy. Instead, it’s a matter of recognizing your natural abilities and relying on them. When we have an abundance mentality, there is room for everything – precisely because we are not all the same. Our differences make the picture more complete and richer.
Many women tie their self-confidence to achievements and the feeling that they have to be “superwomen ” who hold all the strings in their hands. The problem with this approach is that we don’t have “eight hands” – only two. If you are trying to achieve more than is physically possible, some things are bound to be neglected. That’s why we use the “eight by two” method – out of eight important tasks, I treat only two as truly urgent.
A toxic cycle of constant activity
You may feel that if you are not busy or multi-tasking, you are not being productive. But there is a catch. People who achieve top results direct their energy to what really matters to them and do not fall into a toxic cycle of constant activity. That way, you don’t become a “busy freak” but a person who manages your time wisely.
In the book Great Courage, Brené Brown writes about the “numbness” that many use as a shield from feeling vulnerable. If you think this doesn’t apply to you because you’re not addicted to substances, she explains, “One of the most common coping strategies today is constant activity.” I often say that if they organized meetings for ” activity addicts “, they would have to rent football stadiums. Our culture teaches us that if we are busy enough, there will be no time to face our true feelings.
Many use constant engagement as a distraction; if you’re always overwhelmed with work, it can be a convenient way to avoid dealing with things you’d rather ignore. If you’re having a hard time breaking this addiction to busyness, ask yourself two key questions:
- What actually gives you a sense of constant activity?
- What are you trying to avoid by constantly engaging?
The skill is learning how to find peace and slow down in the midst of chaos. To begin this process, set a goal that brings you pleasure but is not related to work responsibilities – for example, reading a book, having a conversation that is not about work, or going for a walk.
There are also negative consequences of over-engagement that can affect you:
- You are confusing constant activity with true success.
- You are never present in the moment.
- Anxiety dominates your life.
- Your productivity drops.
- You spend too much time in front of a screen.
- Your creativity decreases.
- Your mood may be negative.
- You agree to everything, but you rarely enjoy anything.
- The feeling of constant activity becomes part of your self-image.
- You approach things superficially instead of fully committing.
- You lack discipline.
Remember: there is a big difference between a fulfilled life and an overwhelmed one.
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