I recall a time in my life as a leader when I bought into the myth that being busy was normal, even necessary. I was on call 24/7 and felt I was needed; that gave me a false sense of value, power, and control. In the process, I neglected my family, my health, and my spiritual and psychological well-being.

In today’s world, it is common to think that unless you are crazy busy, you are somehow neither effective nor normal. Unfortunately, we have bought into the myth that busy is expected and necessary.

Let me suggest some red flags to look for as signs that you have probably bought into the myth.

You are always rushing to get to your next appointment/activity. You are so busy that  you do not have time to process the previous activity before moving to the next. You should have breathing room between activities, especially if your activities are mentally and emotionally demanding.

You are always feeling tired. When was the last time you woke up feeling rested instead of feeling the need for more sleep? That feeling should be the exception, not the norm. You are doing too much when you cannot find time to regularly relax, rest and get enough sleep. Consider it a warning flag if you regularly need sugar or caffeine to help you through the mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon.

You have lost your passion for your work. You are no longer excited about what you do. You are leading out of obligation rather than passion. Things about your job that  you once enjoyed, you now find stressful and draining–and the only thing that has changed is that you are too busy, overworked and stressed.

You find yourself neglecting the most important things in life, like family, health, and spiritual, intellectual and/or psychological well-being.

You do not spend quality time with your family, time where they get your undivided attention without phones, computers, tablets, and televisions. You promise to attend games and performances of your children, but arrive late or not at all.

You do not have the time to eat healthily, but instead eat nothing or grab fast food on the go. When you do not take time for regular physical exercise, or when you are sick and feel you cannot stay home and rest because you have too much to get done, you are too busy.

You do not have time to read to develop your intellect; rather everything you read is to meet a deadline for some project.

You have no time to sit down with either a person or group on a regular basis and freely process what is on your mind. No one is an island. We all need to have regular times of processing in a mutually safe environment.

You have lost your sense of humor. You find yourself taking everything seriously and personally because you are doing too much and think everything has to be serious. A sense of humor is a good and necessary part of life.

You should be able to laugh at yourself; you should also be able to see the funny things in life. I cannot imagine life without laughter. When was the last time you had a deep, uninhibited laugh?

I am aware there are exceptions to the above observations. But that is what they should be: exceptions. If any of the above points are the norm for you, you are doing too much.

If you would like help in achieving your goals as a leader or in any area of your life, call us at 208-880-0307 or email us at errol@errolcarrim.com to schedule a complimentary coaching session. To read Errol’s other posts, visit Christ-Centered Life Coaching.