Why we keep busy?

[kally]

I was thinking about this a lot lately. Everyday, whether you work or not there is always a lot to do; or at least we can make it that way.

I imagine when we lived in small homes and worked in fields, we worked at home to clean, eat and keep body and soul together. But now I get up and think of jobs to do, move a bedroom around, paint a room, make a loaf of bread.

The idea of getting up, eating and reading most of the day and then going for a walk seems ludicrous and amazing, yet that may be healthier.

I feel like I, and most of society, manufacture tasks to keep busy. Then throw in a tv set or internet, and it never ends.

What say you, fellow toilers of the day.

[Mighty Frugal]

Oh, I have no problem being lazy! I am very good at that!:D

But I think we are hard wired to working. As we were evolving, if you weren't moving, you were pretty much dead.

Nowadays, it may not be our desire to work but our desire to accomplish something. It just feels good to get something done. Even if it's just refilling the sugar bowl...yep...that was moi that refilled the sugar bowl.....;)

[Stella]

I think the sense of accomplishment is a big part of it for me. Plus, I am easily bored. Too easily bored to watch TV, actually. :)

[ApatheticNoMore]

The idea of getting up, eating and reading most of the day and then going for a walk seems ludicrous and amazing, yet that may be healthier.

Um, I spend days like this with *no* problem!!! (with maybe a bit of time wasted on the web too :)). Not workdays of course, but weekends/holidays.

To me it sounds not ludicrous and amazing but rather like a description of a *pleasant* way to spend time. Not being able to spend time like that sounds ludicrous and amazing to me!

I think:
- People naturally have *some* desire to contribute and create
- A lot of personality characteristics probably play into one's level of ambition (and sure there are neurotic reasons to be a workaholic and neurotic reasons to be a slacker, like I said a lot of the personality can come into play)
- But the degree to which we feel the need to be *constantly* *chronically* busy to the point that leisure makes us uneasy, is influenced to no small degree by social programming. The devil will find work for idle hands is still a strong undercurrent in the whole society (though this undercurrent is, of course, seldom openly acknowledged). If only we're chronically busy maybe even the grim reaper won't catch us.

[herbgeek]

Speaking only for myself, I am busy a lot of the time to avoid my own dark internal thoughts. The productivity of clearing out stuff, or acquiring stuff to make my life easier feels good, and keeps those demons of not being good enough at bay, albeit temporarily.

[Jonathan]

I like the Nearings idea of time spent in making their living (bread labor), time spent making themselves better (education, etc.), and time spent making the community around them better (lecturing, etc.). Their idea was that the total time spent on each ought to be the same across a year. So, if they spent 800 hours making a living in the cash economy, then they ought to spend 800 hours that same year making themselves better and another 800 hours building up their community through volunteer activities. I can't wait.

[cdttmm]

I like the Nearings idea of time spent in making their living (bread labor), time spent making themselves better (education, etc.), and time spent making the community around them better (lecturing, etc.). Their idea was that the total time spent on each ought to be the same across a year. So, if they spent 800 hours making a living in the cash economy, then they ought to spend 800 hours that same year making themselves better and another 800 hours building up their community through volunteer activities. I can't wait.

Wow, I didn't know this, but I really like it. I wonder how that might work in my life. Food for thought for today and beyond.

[Rosemary]

I think the sense of accomplishment is a big part of it for me. Plus, I am easily bored. Too easily bored to watch TV, actually. :)

I'm exactly the same way! But I never feel bored, because things to do just come easily to me. I do sometimes just sit down to read, though. Well, more than sometimes. Probably for at least an hour/day.

[NancyAnne]

I like to be productive at a relaxed pace. ;)

[ApatheticNoMore]

I like the Nearings idea of time spent in making their living (bread labor), time spent making themselves better (education, etc.), and time spent making the community around them better (lecturing, etc.).

Well I already do all 3 although not in equal time. And yes there may be careers that have all 3 just in themselves but I'm not there now. I do wonder if time just playing can count as time making yourself better. Because I think it deserves some time. Such as time doing Karaoke, if it's your thing, even if your not Aretha Franklin, etc. :)

[kib]

I find myself combining stuff in odd ways. I'll run a "deep" youtube or lecture on my laptop that doesn't involve a lot of visual, and then at the same time I'll go play a rather mindless computer game - I have one where you have to match up kitchen utensils, utterly non-cerebral. It's like I actually concentrate more on the information when the "wants to be busy" part of my brain is taken up with something.

[kally]

I do think time playing should be part of our lives; more when we are young, and even more when we are older and retired or semi-retired.

[Gina]

In this day and age it's more difficult to see why most humans feel the need to be busy all the time. I think it's evolutionarily hard-wired into most of us.

Humans have only felt the plenty, leisure time, and social safety nets we currently enjoy for not that long. Historically we humans lived a very basic life far more tied to needing to do 'work' (farming, gathering, hunting) just to survive day to day. Those who felt the need to always be busy (aka work) were more successful and passed on their genes. Those who weren't as productive were selected against.

That's rather simplistic, but to me it explains the need most of us feel about wanting to do something most of the time - because our tribal ancestors passed it on to us. :cool:

And ample play keeps us happy in between. ;)

[ApatheticNoMore]

Actually it is generally believed that hunter/gathers worked far less hours than us. Oh I'm not saying we can go back to hunter gatherers now, but *that* is when most of our genetic code actually evolved (pre-agriculture). Working this many hours is an anomaly.

[Gina]

That makes it more interesting. Perhaps 'doing' would be a better word to use than 'working'. 'Doing' would include not only life-sustaining basic work, but also play, rearing kids, 'cave-making', art, etc. (I'm obviously not an anthropologist. ;))

The basic premise still being those who are inclined to 'do' more often would be more likely to succeed since when 'doing' was necessary for survival, they would be more inclined to act.

And of course there would have been variables of environment and the relative difficulty of 'making a living' in various climates and locations.

In my own case, I no longer officially work for pay, but I am 'doing' or wanting to be busy most of the time. I hate doing nothing and also am easily bored. The list of my activities is quite diverse and often playful or creative. Perhaps such 'busy'-ness in us merely primes the pump so that when things really need doing, they will get done by people who are constantly looking for something to do. :)

It's also tied together with the feeling of satisfaction/accomplishment Stella mentioned so the rewards are both immediate and long-term.

[kevinw1]

kally seemed to be talking about the kind of busyness which is self-manufactured, even manufactured to fill time (like rearranging a room). I don't find i do much of that on a small scale, but on a larger scale I do fill up on commitments like non-profit work, business projects, etc. It's a pendulum swing between too much and not enough.

[Mangano's Gold]

This thread makes me think of Parkinson's Law: Your work expands to fill up your day.

It's like a naturally occurring phenomena.

[Spartana]

I was thinking about this a lot lately. Everyday, whether you work or not there is always a lot to do; or at least we can make it that way.



I purposely try to minimalize the amount of activities and things I have to do - especially since I am retired - and try to concentrate more on doing a few things better and for longer periods of time. Generally physical things so that I am tired and very sated at the end of the day and VERY appreciative of having nothing to do but zone out in front of the boob-tube or read. I never get bored and have never felt the need to create anymore activity in my life for lack of things to do. I really hate having endless tasks to do and constant activity - they are like clutter to me - and try to eliminate everything I can. But I still remain very active all day long - up at sunrise and on the go - but I really enjoy the down time too and try to have lots of that in my life.

[Spartana]

Those who felt the need to always be busy (aka work) were more successful and passed on their genes. Those who weren't as productive were selected against.



But you're assuming that "being busy" and being "productive" are the same thing. A person can be often times be much more productive at "work" when they are less busy with numerous activities.

[Crystal]

I think we are addicted to busy-ness because we think it makes us and our lives worthwhile.

[rose]

I'm retired but do activism in the community around things important to me and some volunteer work. My life does feel cluttered and I constantly am battling to have enough time to read and watch movies and do some of my own stuff. I don't get bored but I can spend a lot of time on the computer and reading and alone. Then I start missing being out in the community. When I get too much time in the community, I want to be home alone. Haven't found the right balance yet.