Is Generation Y too busy?

Gen Y and feeling busy? The good news is, you're not alone.

Generation Y's addiction to having too much to do is driving the country towards a health crisis, according to new research into the lifestyles of 18 to 29-year-olds, reports Sydney Morning Herald journalist Inga Ting.

According to the Future Leaders Index compiled by university campus retailer Co-op and accountancy firm BDO, two thirds say they feel busy often or all the time. This busyness is taking a mental and physical toll, with one in two young people reporting high levels of stress and 44 per cent failing to reach the minimum recommendation of 2.5 hours of physical activity a week, the survey of more than 5000 people found. Young women are twice as likely to feel stressed than their male counterparts, with seeking to save money and staying fit as the top two causes of stress. [1]

The question arises, of course, would Gen Y want it any other way? Isn't being busy a badge of honour? As much as they may lament the balancing act of life, the alternative is far worse (and not even worth contemplating). After all, they are the generation to give us the term FOMO, which is very apt as fear of missing out may well explain much of this hyper-activity. The Future Leaders Index revealed that almost the identical proportion of young people who find it difficult to juggle activities also state that they enjoy being very busy!

At this point I should confess that many people have accused me of taking too much on (and I am at least one generation removed from Gen Y). There is nothing like a looming deadline to get the adrenalin going. But I do avoid using the term “busy”. When someone asks me how I am and suggests I must be busy, my standard response these days is to say,

“It's easy to be busy. Being productive is the hard part.”

But is my busyness equally a sign of some inner restlessness, seeking to fill my days with activity to prove my worth to my peers?
Stepping back and asking what drives our frantic behaviour is not an easy thing to do. It is far easier to get busy and avoid the question.
I have long been intrigued by a few sentences in the Bible which seem to suggest that being busy may even be a God-given distraction:

“Then I realised that is good and proper for a person to eat and drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labour under the sun during the few days of life God has given them – for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their work – this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.”
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

The author of these words, King Solomon, knew what it was like to be busy. He may have lived about 950 BC, but his achievements were staggering. He documents in this book Ecclesiastes how he sought to find meaning in life through mammoth projects and multiple pleasures. If you have never read it, do yourself the favour and grab a copy; you will be surprised how contemporary it sounds.

But notice in the words I have quoted how Solomon describes finding satisfaction in your busyness (your 'toilsome labour', your 'lot') as a gift from God. There is no guarantee, of course, that you will get this satisfaction, but if you do it is a God-given gift. And why is it a gift? Because your satisfaction will distract you from reflecting on 'the days of your life', which in Ecclesiastes implies the meaningless days of your life.
Could God really want us to ignore the big questions of life and just live in the moment? Clearly our organisation doesn't think so – check out our motto if you are in any doubt. Maybe the point is that it is impossible to go through life constantly worrying about the existential questions,

“Why am I here? Does life have any purpose?”

There will be moments in life when it is proper to reflect on such questions. But day to day, week to week, being busy with life is actually a way we can cope with our mortality and the conundrums this throws up.

Next time you are feeling like you have too much to do, stressed that you can't balance everything and worried that you might be missing out on something, take a moment to thank God for your busyness. And then find a moment in your hectic schedule to grab a cup of coffee and start reading Ecclesiastes.

Read other City Bible Forum blogs about Simplifying Busy Lives and Is My Life Making A Difference?

Contact us if you would like to join a Bible Reading Group

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[1] Ting, I (2015) Generation Overstimulation? Generation Y's addiction to being busy The Sydney Morning Herald

Image courtesy: Mercatornet