Top tips for stressed out humans 2021 - ThisWorks | Page 13

Busy is addictive .

Being busy is addictive . When we complete tasks , our brain releases the pleasure hormone dopamine , which makes us feel good . We can get hooked on this feeling and rewarding experience , so we want it to be repeated . We then crave this pleasure again and again . But are we really doing ourselves any favours by staying so busy ?

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As a culture , we sometimes shame people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol , but somehow we ’ ve normalised — we even praise — busyness addiction . Because of the value placed on achievement and productivity , some of us are struck with guilt if we feel like we ' re doing nothing . A lot of us , however , make ourselves busy because we ' re trying to avoid so-called negative emotions . It ' s important to challenge ourselves to take a look at the hard truths .