The Three Faces of Busyness: Balanced, Overloaded, or Stalled

Wayne Mylin
Nov 24
3 min read

We’ve all heard it, we've all said it: “Everyone’s too busy these days.”

It’s become almost fashionable to declare that busyness is bad... a badge of burnout or a sign that we’ve lost touch with what matters.

But here’s the truth: not all busyness is bad.

In fact, busyness can be healthy. Purposeful activity gives life structure. It moves us toward what we care about. It helps us feel useful and engaged.

The problem isn’t being busy. The problem is when our busyness slides out of balance. And, just like anything else in life, it can swing too far in either direction.

I think of busyness as having three main expressions: balanced, overexpressed, and underexpressed.

Understanding which one you’re living in right now can help you adjust your pace so life feels more like a steady walk on a trail you’ve chosen, and not a chaotic sprint or a motionless standstill.

Balanced Busyness: The Sweet Spot

Balanced busyness feels like a day with a good rhythm. You’re active and engaged, but you’re not rushing from one thing to the next without breathing. You have a sense of where you’re going and why you’re doing what you’re doing. There’s room for both movement and rest.

It looks like:

A workweek that’s full but still leaves space for exercise, connection, and moments of quiet.
A weekend project that’s engaging but not all-consuming.
A family schedule that hums along without constant rushing.

It feels like: steady energy, clear focus, and the satisfaction of a day well spent.

Balanced busyness isn’t about having a perfect calendar. It’s about having a pace that sustains you over time.

Overexpressed Busyness: When Momentum Becomes Overdrive

Overexpressed busyness is when the pace tips into overdrive. You might still be doing important things, but the how of it becomes unsustainable.

It looks like:

Back-to-back commitments with no time to transition.
Saying yes to every request and running on fumes.
Multitasking so much that nothing gets your full attention.

It feels like: rushing, irritability, trouble slowing down, and that constant hum of stress in the background.

If you stay here too long, overexpressed busyness drains your energy, clouds your thinking, and can leave you feeling disconnected from yourself and the people you care about.

Underexpressed Busyness: The Stalled State

Underexpressed busyness is the other extreme... the absence of purposeful movement. This isn’t the same as intentional rest or a peaceful slowdown. It’s more like drifting.

It looks like:

Avoiding tasks that matter and filling the day with low-value distractions.
Days that feel “empty” but not restorative.
Losing track of time without the sense that it was well spent.

It feels like: fatigue, low mood, restlessness, or frustration with yourself.

In this state, life can start to feel stagnant. Without purposeful activity, our sense of momentum and meaning can fade.

Finding Your Rhythm Again

Busyness is like a heartbeat: it’s meant to have a rhythm. Too fast or too slow for too long, and things feel off. The goal isn’t to eliminate busyness; it’s to keep it in a range that sustains you.

A few ways to recalibrate:

If you’re in overdrive: Build in pauses. Protect white space on your calendar. Practice saying no. Focus on one thing at a time.
If you’re stalled: Start small. Choose one meaningful task for the day. Create a gentle structure. Give yourself a reason to get moving.
If you’re balanced: Protect it fiercely. Be intentional about what you add. Keep checking in with yourself.

Reflection questions to ask: