There never seems to be enough time to do all that we want, or need to do. It seems that once we tackle one task, two or three others lurk in the background, gnawing at our every moment until we address them. Will we ever conquer our desire to do more, and more, and then even more still?

In this fast-paced world, there are so many chores, challenges, and day-to-day needs that many of us fail to take the time to smell the proverbial roses. After all, if our days are not filled with something, we find ourselves bored and seeking something to do. There are many positive things that can be said about keeping busy, such as keeping busy helps keep our minds off things that bother us and keeping ourselves occupied with mental tasks helps keep those brain synapses sharp, to name but two of the more common arguments for inundating our lives with things to do.

In addition, people who stay busy are in many ways happier than those who do not. We have all experienced how slowly time goes by when we have nothing in particular to do. Sometimes, we even go to bed early to break up that dreadful boredom. At least when we sleep we do not realize how bored we otherwise would have been.

Still another positive result of keeping oneself occupied is that one is less likely to be depressed and experience feelings of worthlessness. When a person stays busy doing things she enjoys and feels good about, she can look back on the end of the day and feel a sense of accomplishment, which we all crave.

On the other hand, we need to be careful not to heap too much on our plates. When we do, we are far more likely to experience stress, and along with stress can come stress-induced illness, such as insomnia (which impairs our ability to enjoy life to its fullest), nutrition-related issues (such a stress-eating which can lead to obesity with all of its physical ills), and stomach problems, including irritable bowel syndrome.

My favorite vacation destination is Jamaica. The residents there are very laid-back. "No problem" is a saying you hear over and over again. It seems like Jamaicans are never stressed out and don't let much bother them. I envy them. As a group, they are the nicest people I have ever met and it is very difficult to be stressed out when among people who seem to go with the flow so easily.

Stress is a major underlying factor in many, many illnesses, so we should all try to heed the great advice of that famous song, "Don’t Worry, Be Happy." We should work towards maintaining a happy middle ground between what we must do, what we should do, and what we just want to do. By balancing the demands of our lives, we can live happier, perhaps even longer lives.