Which Level of Busy?

 Humphreys:

I saw a man pursuing the horizon;
Round and round they sped.
I was disturbed at this;
I accosted the man.
"It is futile," I said,
"You can never -- "

"You lie," he cried,
And ran on.
- Stephen Crane

This is an era of insanity. All of us are frantic lunatics, living under an epidemic of busyness. Not only are we all far too busy to savour life or focus on the important things, but we also live in a society that applauds the serially busy and the wildest ball jugglers. When I ask my corporate friends why they don’t leave the office at 5pm, they answer ‘because nobody else does’. But everyone else wants to go home then, even the boss.  It’s bonkers!

So how can we carve out a little time from the busyness to live a little more adventurously every day? 

Here are some other questions I have asked myself:

1. Are you too busy to cycle around the world for years? Are you okay with that?
2. Are you too busy to cross Iceland for a month?
3. Are you too busy to go hiking or biking in Scotland for a week?
4. Are you too busy to camp out this weekend?
5. Are you too busy to climb a small hill with somebody you love and watch the sunset?
6. Are you too busy to go for a run at lunchtime?
7. Are you too busy to go jump in a river before breakfast?
8. Are you too busy to climb a tree for 10 minutes?
9. Are you too busy to read your kids a bedtime story?
10. Are you too busy for life?

Which number are you on that list? Which level is realistic? Which level is acceptable?
Which level suggests priorities going wrong and a heartbreaking waste?