INSPIRATION
REVIEW
Busy: How to Thrive in
a World of Too Much
by Tony Crabbe
B
Being busy is an easy option,
says Tony Crabbe. Easy?
Cramming work, meetings,
chores, errands, social media,
exercise, hobbies, and family
time into our waking hours—
that’s easy?
Y
es, because busyness keeps us
from making the “difficult decisions” of having to choose what
to do. It’s also a method of avoidance, of feeling productive even
though we’re procrastinating
from doing a hard task. And it’s
addictive, a dopamine rush every time we check
our smartphones. If only we could better manage
our time, find a way to increase our productivity,
acquire more of whatever it is we’re chasing after
to feel happy! Well, as Crabbe points out, those
methods aren’t the answer. We need to focus our
attention, not multitask. We need to make tough
choices about our time. We need to put our values first, and have deeper relationships with fewer
people while pursuing what matters most. Crabbe,
a master of busyness, learned to master his busy-
We need to focus our
attention, not multitask.
We need to make tough
choices about our time.
12 | NEW CONSCIOUSNESS REVIEW
ness by choosing not to be busy. How? By choosing
fewer, big, important tasks to focus his attention
on and un-choosing others, by accepting imperfection, breaking his day into big chunks of activity
instead of multitasking, slotting short periods of
time to blast through emails, maximizing breaks,
and…well, read the book and you’ll learn masterful tips to master your life.
Reviewed by Diane Holcomb