People sometimes think that they are obsessed with doing things. Almost all the times, with lots of things. Those we think that should be done, must be done. Why? Because, we think that doing those things is the only way to achieve our goals, our aspirations, ambitions. So, people sometimes don't waste time on slacking off and work hard, day and night.

We think that we are existing in this world because we have purpose, and that purpose is to be always "active." And most of the times, it consequentially resulted into pressure—stress. We feel that failure is just waiting around the corner, and that would make us anxious if we don't do anything to avoid it.

Now, if we rethink everything. We might change our relationship with stress. Busyness does not always equate to achievements.

I was once in a point of my life that I am so busy doing study and work. I'm always occupied with so many things because I am aiming for bigger things ahead of me. Study in the morning, then work late at night; and that makes me become so stressed.

A friend told me once, "being so busy will not always bring you to your dreams, it does not always equate to achievements."

Okay, I pause a while and think.

I realized I was trying so hard and be busy all the time thinking it's the only way to achieve something in life. I felt that I'm accustomed in being busy without realizing that it never makes me happy. What's the point of this?

When people are busy, they are distracted from what they are not seeing around them. Those "unseen" things might be the best way to achieve things. Maybe, talking to many people, make a conversation, making acquaintances, those things might teach you many things that could help you in many ways. Do some travel and discover things that might give you an idea about everything, even your true skills and ability.

Man are always on a highway.

Think that busyness is like driving a car in a fast lane, at a top speed. As a driver, you will clearly see what's in front of you, but not beside us. Trees, hills, even people jogging on the side are in a blur. Unless we decide to slow down a bit, we won't see some other route that leads to a mountain, to another beautiful sceneric places.

Maybe you are not noticing it, but you are always doing things that you think is the best for you to achieve things—you're always in the highway. Yes, it will take to places quickly, but it's generic and dull.

Technology makes people more stressed.

In this modern age, people enjoys the advancement of the technology. Everything is done faster than ever, from communication, transportation, and even our food are served instantly. Hundred years ago, electricity is not yet invented. People are using candles at night, horses and carriage for transportation. There are lots of quite moments that time.

I'm not saying you that we must go back to that times. Technology has done so much today, and it went well incredibly. But it's obviously give us so much stress to live in a fast pace kind of lifestyle. And if your not fast enough, you will be left out—frustrated. Even in developed country, like Japan, people there are stressed. There is a high number cases of suicides among their citizens, in spite of their standard of living is very high, they still often less happy.

Going back to the main point, people are thinking that being busy will make their ambitions came through. It's very evident in workplaces, school, in the streets of every cities. But, just how many people you knew that are good at slacking off? Do we even consider it as a skill? Naturally, we will think that they are just lazy. We have to avoid those habit of slacking off. Oftentimes, we ask someone if how are they doing, they would sometimes say, " I'm good, been busy all weekdays," " I'm great, busy, but great." I know, sometimes you are saying that when asked. Unconsciously, we are just saying "great" or "good" just to trick ourselves.

Believe it or not, being still in many activities doesn't necessarily means nothing will happens. Being still sometimes gives us time to think our next actions, our choices. Don't rush anything, because if we hurry things up, we might choose the wrong path.

Movies teach us lessons.

Those situations sometimes depicted in some movies. Think of any movies where the main character, the hero, faced with a big difficult challenges. He/she will become unsure of what to do in facing such challenges, so they retreats and think something. They'll find peace, and when the time comes, they will emerges in the process and regain energy to continue striving. They have chosen an action that was about to change everything.

Movies like, the Dark Knight Rises, the main character, Bruce Wayne, regain his energy when he's held in a prison, and break free. Luke Skywalker had to see Master Yoda on Dagobah to do some training, before helping Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia. And many other movies with the same situation of their heroes.

In those instances, the heroes are trying to rebuild themselves by slowing down a bit. And by that, they choose the best decisions in their lives and change everything. They have chosen the correct path in attaining their goals.

Movies are fictions, but somehow it depicts the truth of life. We may not have the same challenges as the heroes have, but to some extent, we can relate to them. In our life, we also have faced with significant choices, and we must choose between those choices. So, in choosing decisions, we must first calm and take time to think our choices.

Small decisions still make big difference.

Big decisions make us slow down sometimes. Buying a house, choosing your career path, or marrying. We tend to take time to think and reflect, weighing things up the advantages and disadvantages of every options. The bigger the decision is, the bigger the need of time to reflect things.

For some reasons, we tend not to mind and do the same rules in smaller decisions. If we just spend some time thinking about those smaller ones, not all small ones, but some consequential ones, it would still make differences. It would help us to cope up with stress and make the best decisions in life.

Smaller decisions, if we sum those up, still have a big impact on us. Like, starting to do some regular exercises, or saving money, or even choose your diet. They will still manage to have a big impact in your life as what those "big" decisions will do.

You might think that I am convincing you to just always think. That all we should do is to slack off. But it's not, I'm not. "Thinking without acting" is just the same with "Acting without thinking." There must be action on every ideas. Busyness must be combine with some reflections, be calm, don't hurry things up. We must have the activity of having no activity sometimes. Develop the skill of becoming less stressed.

Be that victorious hero after he calms himself.

Thanks for reading.

Lead photo credit to Freepik.com