When Busy Isn’t Working
Notes #7: August 16, 2026
I have been feeling overwhelmed and ungrounded lately. An increased level of activity in recent months has left no room for reflection and attention to my inner world. It’s been satisfying to feel productive, as I look at the number of items I tick off my To-Do list each day, but I’ve come to realize that this flurry of activity has led me off path.
I’ve been playing ‘whackamole’ with tasks and errands, ticking things off lists that keep growing back. The speed and intensity of activity have been leaving me depleted at day’s end, vegging in front of social media or phone games, until I crawl into bed and fall asleep.
Not taking time at the end of the day to plan the following day results in another iteration of the very same process: Wake up and hurry to check things off the list, react to what shows up and demands my attention, satisfy obligations, fulfill expectations, comply with requirements, subdue waves, and struggle toward that coveted sense of accomplishment. End the workday exhausted and spent, turn off the brain, engage in indulgent activities from social media to eating ice cream, fall asleep. Sleep fitfully. Repeat.
Can you think of a cycle of behavior in your life that keeps going even though it doesn’t serve you well?
If so, don’t rush to self judgment. There are valid reasons why you developed those habits, and they do serve a purpose. And though we may become aware that certain behavior patterns do not contribute to our wellbeing, it isn’t easy to stop such a hamster wheel and get off it.
Inertia and habit, that often circumvents conscious thought, are real and powerful forces. They will keep behavior going in perpetuity, unless and until something external to that mindless cycle, a ray of conscious thought perhaps, intervenes and creates a disruption. Something that acts as a spoke in the wheel and brings it to a stop.
But how?....
The first small but significant step in creating a positive interruption is when we notice that things are not well. For me, it was becoming aware that I am too exhausted to enjoy my evenings, and that mental depletion led me to eat in ways I later regretted; that a mild dissatisfaction has been lingering despite all the activity, and, that in my constant busyness, I’ve neglected the things that are truly most important to me. This noticing and acknowledging are the spokes. Enter consciousness!
But wait, what were those most important priorities, exactly?... I had to search my mind for a moment or two, as it was the beginning of the year when I last looked at them. I got rid of the dust that accumulated and put them in the light for an evaluation: How do I feel about them now? Are these still my priorities? Which of them is most important to me now?
Our priorities, unlike our core values, are much more fluid. They often play musical chairs and find a different seat depending on the season, changing financial, health, and family circumstances, or unexpected opportunities. When we don’t review them periodically, we risk allocating our time and energy inefficiently, spending these precious resources in ways that don’t bring us what we truly want and need.
Which is why I was so glad to realize, this week, that I have been heading full force in pursuit of a goal that is, lo and behold, no longer a top priority!... And that doing so has left me with too little time and energy to give my other goals, which have become top priorities. Ah Hah! No wonder things have been feeling off kilter.
Acknowledging the felt misalignment in my life and taking a fresh look at my priorities was all that was needed to begin the process of change I was after. With that awareness in mind, the first few small but effective and doable steps I could take became quickly apparent. Mine included making arrangements for an introductory appointment at two local gyms, creating room in my schedule by spacing travel differently, and attempting, no matter how imperfectly, to begin each day with five minutes of writing my responses to a few prompts, that helps me remember what truly matters and move with intention into the day’s activity.
I felt, and still do, a new surge of hope about my rediscovered top priorities, and a rush of excitement at the prospect of regaining control of how I use my precious time and energy, indeed about how I spend my life.
The morning prompts that make a big difference for me in just five minutes, are:
What am I grateful for this morning?
It is amazing how the mind will relax and shift when we focus on what we’re grateful for even for a brief time.
What are my two top priorities for life at this point?
Always good to be reminded and keep them front and center.
What are the two most important things I want to accomplish today?
Of all the things on your to-do list, what are the two that are most essential for today?
What do I most need to experience today?
This refers to a feeling or experience your heart wants, this is not an action. For example, you may most yearn to feel connection, or calm, or focus, or to have fun.
How do I choose to show up today, to bring about this most needed experience?
In other words, what quality or qualities can I bring forth today that would increase the likelihood of getting what I need? For example, I may want to bring patience, or initiative, or courage, or to slow down, etc.
I hope you give these a try, and give your priorities a fresh look. I would love to hear how it went and what you discovered. Let me know how the above resonated with you, at ornalock@gmail.com. And as always, my gratitude in advance if you forward this to others who may find it interesting.
Warmly,
Orna.
