"...work hard, hustle, grind it out, busy-ness..." - Matt D'Avella
I started this blog post a year ago. I recognized that I was tired of saying that I'm "busy" and that being involved in so many things was impacting my ability to learn new things (some of which I really needed to learn). Lots has changed since I began this post; so much that I've deleted what I originally wrote.
In 2019, we were all busy! No matter who we were, there was something we needed to do: work, find work, volunteer, engage in specific social activities, etc. As 2019 came to an end, we looked forward to what we knew about 2020. By March, we realized that what we knew was wrong and what we might have hoped to do wasn't going to happen. Our busy-ness changed and some of it changed into worry.
While we - as people - found our lives shift in March, we watched our organizations shift as well. Many people were told to work from home and many students had to learn from home. Most libraries closed and services shifted to what they could do online. Fortunately, libraries were able to increase their online offerings during this time, which was good for the communities. Sadly, some libraries had to furlough staff because of their budgets. This also caused the remaining staff to be busier. Yes, during this time we all became busier. More online meetings with work colleagues, family members, and friends. Everyone wanted to connect in some way. And there were many online events being offered, as people tried to keep each other busy. Can we really attend that many virtual meetings and events in one day or one week?
It's now August. Many businesses and libraries have reopened in some manner. Schools - K-12 and colleges/universities - are reopening for either online, hybrid, or in-person instruction. We are all now busy preparing for what's next. We might even be thinking about the next shutdown and preparing for that, too.
Busy.
The draft post and 9-minutes video by Matt D'Avella reminded me that sometimes we need to do less. We can be so busy that we're really not getting things completed, or getting the correct things done. We need to stop and discern where we actually need to spend our energy. Where can we have the greatest impact? Yes, write down your ideas and then sort through them. Talk with friends and colleagues. We have all spent a lot of time as well as mental, emotional, and physical energy so far this year. We've been busy. Now is the time to figure out what we really need to pursue. Focus on those things. Yes...and perhaps do less.
If you're in a library, museum or archive, the remainder of this year may look challenging. In fact, your budget for next year may also looking challenging. Slow down. Focus. Understand the impact you want your institution to have. You will not be able to do it all. Just like you (the person), your institution needs to come through this crisis ready for the future. Being too busy now may drain your organization's ability to do that work when it is needed.
For a moment, try to pursuit less. Your body and institution may thank you.
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