Busy may be easy

Time of India

02-05-2025

'If you want to feed a person for a day give him a fish, if you wish to feed him for a lifetime, teach him how to fish.' Dr Ajit Varwandkar is a Career Psychologist and a Thought process Transformation Expert by profession. He is working on enhancing employability through career guidance and training. Just capacity development is not his motto; enabling youth is the intent. He started his career as a mechanical engineer and eventually went into clinical psychology, management and doctoral research. He is an avid trainer of Thought Engineering for corporate and educational institutes. He is a music lover and plays the Indian classical percussion instrument – Tabla. He is the author of the book Think Success and Be Successful. He loves to write inspirational blogs on self-improvement and career development issues. He believes in living life at zero complaint level and is always keen to focus on solutions than on excuses. LESS ... MORE
Have you ever wrapped up your day with a sigh, feeling like it just slipped through your fingers? That unsettling sense of 'I was busy, but what did I really achieve?' is something many of us go through. Emails were answered, calls were made, tasks were checked off—but the inner satisfaction? Missing.
This feeling of emptiness, despite being in constant motion, is more common than we admit. We confuse activity with achievement. We mistake movement for progress. But running on a treadmill won't take you forward, no matter how fast you go.
Anyone can be busy. But not everyone is productive. True productivity is not measured by how packed your calendar looks or how exhausted you feel by bedtime. It's measured by how close your actions bring you to your goals, by how fulfilled you feel at the end of the day.
Take a moment to reflect—are your actions aligned with your life's bigger purpose? Or are you simply checking boxes, running errands, and reacting to what the world throws at you?
We often allow our days to be consumed by urgent but unimportant things. Attending every meeting, replying to every message, scrolling endlessly on social media, or getting caught up in minor tasks might make you feel useful, but it rarely makes a meaningful difference in the long run.
The solution is not to do more, but to do what truly matters more. It's about living efficiently, not just breathing through a busy day.
Imagine ending your day not just tired, but content. Imagine feeling a sense of calm satisfaction because your time was spent on things that added value to your life, your work, and the people around you. That's the beauty of a purpose-driven day.
To achieve that, we must learn to prioritize. We must learn to say no to the noise and yes to what aligns with our values. Planning your day with intention, setting clear goals, and reviewing your progress honestly at the end of the day are simple but powerful habits. They can turn your ordinary days into meaningful milestones.
It's also important to acknowledge that not every day will be perfect. There will be days when things don't go as planned, and that's okay. The goal isn't perfection—it's progress with purpose.
Sometimes, all it takes is a few quiet minutes at the beginning of the day to ask yourself: What is the one thing I can do today that will make me proud when the day ends? The answer may not be grand or glamorous. It could be a heartfelt conversation, finishing a long-delayed task, helping someone in need, or simply taking time to care for your health. When you do that one thing, the day suddenly feels worthwhile.
We must also understand that purpose is personal. What energizes one person may exhaust another. That's why comparing your productivity with others is not only unfair—it's unhelpful. Your journey, your pace, and your priorities are uniquely yours.
In a world that constantly demands our attention, choosing where to place our energy is a powerful act. Instead of just existing through a blur of busy days, we can decide to live with awareness, alignment, and authenticity. And in that choice lies the real difference, not between being busy and being idle, but between being busy and being fulfilled.
At the end of the day, don't just ask yourself how much you did. Ask whether what you did mattered. Did it make you feel better? Did it serve a purpose greater than just ticking off tasks? Did it add something of value to your life or someone else's? If you can say yes to even one of these questions, then your day was well spent.
It's not about how much we fill our days with, but what we fill them with. Live not just by the clock, but by your calling. That's how ordinary days turn into an extraordinary life.
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Views expressed above are the author's own.