Is being busy a virtue?

Is it good to be busy all the time? Is it to be admired in someone that they are too busy to do something? How do we feel about busy people? Are busy people better in some way than someone who has more free time?

I admit that there is always a long list of things which I want to accomplish on any given day. Does that make me "busy"? I don't know. I don't feel like a busy person, but I do feel like someone who has lots to do. The EFG noticed that I don't sit down an awful lot unless I am at the computer! Most of the things which I do are of my own choosing - cooking and baking from scratch most days, gardening, looking after the chickens, coaching gymnastics, school governing, etc - a lot of those things are occupations which I could choose not to do, but I do them because I like to, and they benefit me and my family in one way or another. Unfortunately, there are other things which I don't choose to do quite as often as I should, like decluttering, which would also be of benefit to my family and I would be happier if I did more often........I'll fling a few things this afternoon! Guess what? Those are the things which I like doing less! I know that I rarely turn anyone down if they ask me to do something. That could be seen as weakness, an inability to say, "No" but on the other hand, I know that I can ask for help or time off when I need to - I didn't coach gym on Saturday mornings last summer term as I didn't feel up to it, and the HC was fine about it. He was understanding and let me have the time out.

What's brought this on? Someone said to me this morning that she was too busy to make jam. That, to me, is laughable and sounded like an excuse. If you like making jam, you find time. If you don't like doing it, you buy it or do without.