Have you ever stopped to notice how “busy” our society has become? Freeways are jam-packed with people hurrying and scurrying to get from point A to point B. Calendars have become so important that families across America are installing “launch pads” in their homes. These are crafty little nooks where a family calendar is fashioned with everyone’s activities and to do lists displayed. I have friends who “schedule” exercise into their daily planners because they are so busy. Although I don’t disagree with making time to mind your health, it has me pondering — have we become so busy in this crazy world that we have now reached a point where our physical and mental health must be written on a calendar in order for us to tend to it?
We know that adults are busy. It’s a no-brainer that parents never stop until their heads hit the pillow at night. You know who is extremely busy and in turn, physically and mentally drained because of it? Kids! Yes, children have now become as busy — if not busier — than their adult counterparts. Between soccer practice, dance class, playdates and cub scouts (not to mention school, church, tutoring and more), the schedule of a child is starting to look like that of a highly sought after celebrity. We’ve robbed our kids of free play time and precious hours of imagination and discovery. “For what?”, I ask. To make them more well-rounded? To expose them to life experiences? If we look at the research, it’s making them more anxious, depressed and stressed out. Same goes for adults.
The more time we spend hustling and bustling, the less time we actually spend actively engaged with our families, friends and the world around us. The more we stress, the less we rest. All of that added stress and hurrying about is keeping adults and kids sick, tired and emotionally disengaged. Don’t get me wrong — extracurriculars and enrichment activities are definitely beneficial, but we must monitor the time we, as well as our children are spending doing “extra stuff”
. If you start to notice them (or yourself) becoming burned out, withdrawn or anxious, it’s more than likely time to reassess the time spent scurrying from one activity to the next. We must never forget how valuable and important time with family and friends, as well as relaxing and self-reflecting, truly are in the grand scheme of life. ♥♥♥
Crossroads Mental Health Services 