Article October 29, 2012 Issue

The 'business' that replaces 'busyness'

Irene Schanche Bowker

We sometimes hear people complain, “I’m always working, but I never seem to accomplish anything.” When work is undertaken with a sense of hurry or pressure, often we find that little is accomplished. A great deal is heard about “wasted motion” today; experts are hired to help businesses eliminate unnecessary steps and ensure maximum efficiency with minimum cost and effort. 

We can be models of purposeful activity by taking only the steps indicated by the greatest “efficiency expert” of all, God. Tasks can be completed properly, and with joy, when we accept God as the source of all right action. God, being omnipotent, precludes the existence of anything other than perfect action. If we are listening for God’s direction, living His commandments, loving His creation, and striving to obey His law, we will naturally refrain from activities that do not comply with that law. As a result of following God’s guidance, our cost in terms of anxiety, sorrow, pain, or lack is lessened. We can remember to “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10), and while we are still and knowing, our tasks are accomplished calmly and correctly.

While doing research on this subject, I found a dictionary that describes busyness as an obsolete precursor to the word business. Business suggests a pursuit of purposeful activity, while busyness often denotes “much ado about nothing.” To me, it’s natural that the two words aren’t linked as much in modern usage today. 