I have often said, “I don’t have enough time. How can I get everything done.” “If only I had more time.” I hear the same comments from the leaders I work with. Do you feel too busy?

Research by Cassie Holmes, author of Happier Hour, shows that many of us experience a sense of time poverty. Many of my clients fantasize about creating more space, and some talk about changing jobs or retiring. However, even those who have left the workforce often complain that they are too busy and stressed.

The research shows that those with too little time and those with too much discretionary time are the least happy. Those who seem most satisfied are engaged in fulfilling activities while experiencing a sense of being.

What does “being” look like for me? I notice that when I am “being present” with coaching clients and my classes, and when with others and nature, I am open and enjoying life. I experience a sense of spaciousness and trust in life. I sense I am growing and learning. When I try to do too much and focus on all I have to do, I notice a tightness in my body and a sense of constriction. I am often holding my breath.

I aim to stay connected to being as I engage in meaningful doing. I have had to examine old patterns that keep me saying yes to things and an old belief that I will have a sense of being “good” the more I do. We all have old beliefs that take some examination to experience a release and create a new decision about how we want to live. We learn and grow as an acorn naturally grows into an oak tree. Research shows that we actually experience joy from our journey rather than when we achieve a goal. Too often, we just set another goal on the hedonic treadmill.

I am working on paying attention and noticing when I am open and being and noticing when I am overdoing. I then work to examine my choices. I continually check in and choose an Open Stance. Of course, this is a work in progress. I sense that when I am being, I am in the flow of life. I am more relaxed and experience life with an open heart and mind, and I am enjoying the moments. This kind of being is well worth the focus, and I experience joy and aliveness. I remind myself of the joy in being and reiterate my intention for JOYBeing–experiencing joy in being.

How do you relate and manage the relationship between “being” and “doing”?