Time is our most valuable resource. It’s nonrenewable — once spent, you can’t get it back. We all understand this logically to varying degrees. But many of us feel the compulsion to manipulate time, to restructure it to fit our lifestyles. “Make the time,” is the common expression, as if we could create something out of nothing. You can’t. You can’t change the laws of nature and “make” time, no matter how talented you may be.
Since we can’t add more time to our day, we efficiently fill it as much as possible. Only we spend too much time with unfulfilling stuff, both of our own free will and from the will of others. We’ve mastered the art of busyness, a phenomenon that’s more of a problem, a problem of modern society. People nowadays don’t tolerate moments of stillness and quiet. Just look around: In a lull, they’re on their cell phones talking, texting, gaming, etc., all in the act of staying busy. Constant busyness may give us an air of importance, showing the outside world how valuable we are. It’s a natural ego-thing. We desire to be needed and wanted.
As for doctors, we’ve effectively crafted this art of busyness to near perfection. And we’re paying the price.
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