Do you constantly feel like you’re behind and never on top of things? Do you feel like you’ve got too many balls in the air and if you drop one, everything will come crumbling down? Do you hear yourself always answering ‘I’m so busy’ when someone asks how you are?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are certainly not alone.
We live in a VUCA world:
- Volatility – things change quickly and unpredictably.
- Uncertainty – the future is hard to predict.
- Complexity – multiple interconnected factors are at play.
- Ambiguity – situations often lack clarity or a single right answer.
Living in this reality can leave us stressed, overwhelmed, and even burnt out.
Horizontal vs. Vertical Growth
Most people try to tackle overwhelm through horizontal development—learning new skills, using time management tools, creating rules, or delegating tasks. These solutions are important, but they often don’t touch the deeper root. Without inner change, we may find ourselves using the freed-up time just to take on more—leaving us just as busy as before.
This is where vertical development comes in. Vertical development is inner growth—a shift in how we make meaning of our experiences, and how we hold complexity, uncertainty, and even time itself.
- Horizontal development = outer skills (what we do)·
- Vertical development = inner growth (how we see, interpret, and respond)Both are essential, but most cultures and workplaces overvalue the outer and underdevelop the inner.
The Vertical Lens on Time and Busyness
Our relationship with time changes as we grow vertically:
- Earlier stages: time is short and immediate—focused on reacting to what’s right in front of us.
- Expert / Achiever stages: time becomes linear and goal-focused—measured by deadlines, progress, and achievement. This is where many professionals operate.
- Later stages: time starts to feel cyclical and interconnected—past experiences, present choices, and future possibilities are seen as shaping each other.
When we only see time as linear and productivity-driven, busyness becomes the default. Growth invites us to experiment with other ways of holding time—more cyclical, more spacious, more present.
Reflective Questions
To explore your own relationship with busyness, consider journaling on:
- Where does the busy feeling live inside me? What body sensations does it create?
- What does being busy give me? What does it cost me?
- Where has my identity or sense of self become linked to being busy?
- How do I know when busyness is productive, and when it becomes draining?
- What might change if time wasn’t only about efficiency and progress?
- When have I experienced moments of timelessness—when time felt spacious or different?
Growth is often uncomfortable—so if these questions stir something up, remember that’s a sign of movement. Lean into the discomfort gently; it’s where new awareness is born.
Balancing Growth with Nourishment
Inner growth doesn’t mean pushing ourselves relentlessly. It also means caring for ourselves as we stretch. Many of us were taught that self-care is selfish, but in truth, looking after ourselves is foundational for inner growth.
Here are some simple practices:
- Presence – pause to breathe, feel your feet on the ground (ideally barefoot), and remember you are alive. Mini-moments of presence can shift everything.
- Small is Beautiful – find awe in small moments: a sunrise, a flower, a smile, a cup of tea.
- Trust – notice where you’re over-controlling, and experiment with opening into trust—of yourself, others, or life itself.
- Service – being of service widens perspective and reduces self-preoccupation. Find your own way—through community, volunteering, or small acts of generosity.
- Rest – true rest means switching off and nourishing yourself, not numbing through scrolling or bingeing. Experiment with what helps your nervous system truly reset.
In summary: Busyness and overwhelm aren’t just productivity issues; they’re also developmental opportunities. They show us where our current meaning-making about time, success, and self may no longer serve us—and invite us to grow into new ways of being.