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'Busy lives'


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For a few years now there seems to be an insistence that we all lead ‘busy lives’, with the implication that our lives are much busier than those of previous generations. We apparently don’t have time for loads of things and many companies now actively use this in their advertising (see the dreadful We Buy Any Car ones as a prime example).

 

But it’s all a complete load of shite. The technology available to us means we actually save a lot of time (think for example of doing transactions on your banking app instead of having to go in to a branch and queue up) and we certainly, for the most part, don’t work as many days and hours as people did previously (although we still work too much, but that’s a different argument). It could be said that technology also means many are often working all the time, but that’s really a personal choice. If I wanted I could look at and reply to work emails at home, but I never have done and never will do.

 

It seems to me that this notion of ‘busy lives’ that is pervading our culture is being driven by advertising, yet a lot of people have apparently convinced themselves it’s true.

 

Obviously I have zero commitments, so those with partners and kids may feel differently. Do you think folks’ lives are busier now? Or do you think that there is more pressure on people to ‘do things’ with their leisure time that, when they don’t, they feel like they justify it by claiming to ‘be too busy’?

 

Perhaps folk feel exhausted by constantly trying to prove on social media just how great their lives and general attention seeking? It’s all just a sick game that the participants don’t want to admit it w**k, pointless and self defeating?

 

Is ‘being too busy’ simply a choice? You don't have to do work at home on your phone, you don't have to take extra stuff on etc.

 

This BBC article is pretty good; http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160909-why-you-feel-busy-all-the-time-when-youre-actually-not

 

Here are some more links on the subject (I just typed ‘busy lives’ in to Google). I’ve included a wide range of sources (even the Daily Heil/Fail):

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/19/change-your-life-stop-being-busy 

https://www.economist.com/news/christmas-specials/21636612-time-poverty-problem-partly-perception-and-partly-distribution-why 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4470394/Our-obsession-busy-wrecking-women-s-lives.html 

http://www.bordbiaconsumerlifestyletrends.ie/busy-lives/ 

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2016/10/take-moment-out-your-busy-lives-spare-thought-over-rested 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jenny-dearborn/why-is-everyone-so-busy-time-poverty_b_6803940.html 
 

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11 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

 

Is ‘being too busy’ simply a choice? You don't have to do work at home on your phone, you don't have to take extra stuff on etc.

 

I'd agree. I do lead a busy life, don't get much time for holidays (or to renew my passport) but I drink a massive amount of coffee, allowing me free time when normal folk are sleeping. You can be a slave to your phone, emails etc and I like to compartmentalise my life so I get a bit of peace in my head away from work. 

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38 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

For a few years now there seems to be an insistence that we all lead ‘busy lives’, with the implication that our lives are much busier than those of previous generations. We apparently don’t have time for loads of things and many companies now actively use this in their advertising (see the dreadful We Buy Any Car ones as a prime example).


 

I'll never be too busy to sell my car for half what it's worth and pay a fee on top for the privilege.

My life is no busier than it has ever been, I work Monday to Friday, kids have fucked off and me and the wife potter about socially and do stuff around the house. I could do some work from home but would not get paid for this so they can GTF.

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I'm not busy at all at my work. It's got to the point where I will do the absolute minimum required each and every day but that's more to do with how the company treats its staff.
Busy at home though, upkeep of the house and time with the family.
I learned a while ago that work comes a distant 2nd to time spent with family.

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The technology available to us means we actually save a lot of time (think for example of doing transactions on your banking app instead of having to go in to a branch and queue up)

 

 

I got a cheque in the post over the weekend and had to spend my Monday lunch going into town to feed it into a machine one of the rare branches my bank hasn't closed down. My previous branch was 20m away from my desk btw. Tried to pick up my prescription in Boots whilst in town but seems they can't work out how their own text system works, giving me an additional trip later this week.

 

Is ‘being too busy’ simply a choice? You don't have to do work at home on your phone, you don't have to take extra stuff on etc.

 

I'd say so. This week is a pain in the arse for me having work to finish off before heading for a delayed offshore stint, meaning I have to organise emergency cover for a trip I volunteered to run in a few weeks time, rearrange work because of rearranged working weeks etc etc. Can't really afford the time to head out for midweek drinks at a time of other people's choosing but doesn't mean I can't afford a wee bit of time to check P&B at midnight (could equally be FB). Therefore, I'd be rather annoyed if someone thought "ah, he can't come out for drinks but he can spend time on P&B".

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No matter what hours we all work the daily routine of working is still completed disrupted by work and by the time that most of us have got in from work we are all too tired and drained to want to do much else apart from lay in front of the tv on social media. It's no way to live ones life really.

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My life is busy but mostly because I choose to make it busy. Monday to Friday post work I basically have five/six hours from finishing to sleep time. My exercising commitments take up at least two and a half of those so only actually leaves enough time for travelling, eating, cleaning and washing. Then weekend hits and have to rotate social time between friends, family and dating. I'm fine with this as anymore than three hours sitting around solo in my gaff gets me absolutely bored and grouchy.

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My life is busy but mostly because I choose to make it busy. Monday to Friday post work I basically have five/six hours from finishing to sleep time. My exercising commitments take up at least two and a half of those so only actually leaves enough time for travelling, eating, cleaning and washing. Then weekend hits and have to rotate social time between friends, family and dating. I'm fine with this as anymore than three hours sitting around solo in my gaff gets me absolutely bored and grouchy.

I thought we were basically twins right up until you said dating [emoji17]
Pretty much the same though. Work Mon-Fri usually between about half 7 to half 5. Training twice a week which means I head there from work and get home about 9, then in the gym the other nights. So I try and catch up with pals over the weekend.
Pretty sure at my age my dad was just as busy, working full time and raising a family...just a different busy due to respective life choices on both our parts.
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I wish I could do that after work. With having children this is not the case until they are in bed and even then plenty things to be done. You will soon find out :-)


Aye I know, the sort of shock to the system I need in my life!
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Folk are usually busy doing things that are pretty unproductive, like going on social media and football forums or watching box sets which you can now stream, playing computer games which people now have on their phones than just consoles or even exercise for some.. Basically folk now have loads of choice for hobbies and forms of entertainment by the bucketload and easily accessible which keeps them busy. Also depending on personality one of their hobbies is chatting to friends/family and its even easier these days with the apps you have (I find its mainly lassies in this category) and its easier to have a social life with friends because its easier to arrange things.

In terms of generation thing back in the day I think folk had more time outside of work because you had one bread winner and one house wife (yes households commonly survived on one bread winner) while society has changed and now allot if not most families have two working parents so the house stuff gets shared when they both arn't working so there must be some impact there. I am generalising though.

I have done a few volunteering things in the past and asked people to come along and people use the excuse they are too busy outside of work when I know they really aren't, I wish they would just be honest and say they would rather be sitting about watching some shit on tv tbh I don't have a problem with it. I have a few hobbies or things outside of work to keep me busy but theres nothing better than doing absolutely f**k all with no one else around and for me that's being busy.

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22 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Third World Problems thread for this pish, folk without dishwashers, microwaves, washing machines, dryers, vacuum cleaners, online shopping etc.

Third World problems wouldn't include household appliances & internet.

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6 minutes ago, Slenderman said:

Third World problems wouldn't include household appliances & internet.

No, they'd have no choice but to be busy. "Ooh my life is hectic, what with work, pilates and shopping with the girls."

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As a society, we're getting lazier.

Plenty of exceptions obviously but the technology in our lives has led to us being physically more sedate and mentally more 'in our head' (horrible way to put it but hopefully you get my point).

We think and worry about peripheral stuff way, way more than we should.

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