Being vs. Doing: Finding the Balance That Helps You Thrive

We live in a world that celebrates productivity, achievement, and action. We’re praised for getting things done, checking items off a list, and staying busy. But beneath all the doing, many of us are left asking: Who am I when I’m not achieving? Am I thriving—or just surviving?

Balancing being and doing is essential to living an elevated, meaningful life. While doing drives progress, being anchors us in presence. When the two are integrated, we move from frantic action to intentional living.

What’s the Difference Between Being and Doing?

Let’s define the terms:

• Doing is focused on tasks, goals, responsibilities, and accomplishments. It’s the mode we slip into to meet deadlines, solve problems, and pursue achievement.

• Being is about presence, awareness, and connection. It involves stillness, reflection, values, emotions, and a sense of inner life.

Neither is better than the other. In fact, we thrive when we can elevate our doing by being grounded in who we are.

Here’s a simple comparison:

Doing: External action, efficiency, productivity, busyness, achievement

Being: Internal awareness, presence, meaning, connection, fulfillment

Why This Balance Matters

Modern life often pulls us too far into “doing” mode. That can lead to stress, burnout, and disconnection from our deeper selves. A life of constant action, without rest and reflection, can be productive—but unfulfilling.

Research supports this:

• 🧠 Mindfulness-based practices (rooted in “being”) are shown to reduce anxiety, improve emotional regulation, and increase focus. (Harvard Health Publishing, 2021)

• 🧘‍♀️ People who cultivate self-awareness and inner alignment report higher levels of well-being and meaning in life. (Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania)

• 🔄 A study published in The Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that those who intentionally pause and reflect (being) show greater long-term productivity than those who constantly rush to complete tasks (doing).

Strategies to Reconnect with Being

To thrive in both life and work, we need practices that help us reconnect with the "being" part of ourselves. Here are a few to start with:

1. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness invites us to shift from doing to being by tuning into the present moment without judgment.

Ways to begin:

• Start with 3–5 minutes of focused breathing

• Use a body scan meditation

• Notice the five senses during a walk or meal

🧘‍♀️ Resource: UCLA Mindfulness Resources

2. Build Reflective Time Into Your Day

Intentional reflection helps you process, grow, and align your actions with your values.

Ideas include:

• Journaling for 10 minutes at the end of the day

• Asking: What gave me energy today? What drained me?

• Scheduling weekly “pause and plan” sessions

📝 Resource: End of Day Reflective Questions

3. Redefine Success

When we only measure success by output, we ignore the value of rest, creativity, and well-being.

Consider:

• Success as a balance of impact and energy

• Recognizing emotional growth and deeper relationships as wins

• Creating personal definitions of thriving

📘 Resource: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown explores how self-worth and authenticity are just as vital as accomplishment.

4. Create Being Moments During Doing Days

You don’t have to stop “doing” to experience “being.” You can weave being into your day.

Try:

• Taking mindful breaths between meetings

• Eating one meal a day without a screen

• Checking in with your body and emotions before making decisions

🎧 Resource: Ten Percent Happier Podcast – Short, practical interviews on how to live more mindfully in everyday life.

5. Engage in Flow Activities

Flow is that sweet spot where doing meets being—where you're fully immersed, time disappears, and effort feels almost effortless.

Examples of flow activities:

• Painting, writing, gardening

• Playing music or sports

• Deep creative work or problem solving

📖 Resource: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
🌐 Summary: PositivePsychology.com – Flow Theory

How Being Supports Better Doing

Shifting into a "being" mindset doesn't mean you stop striving or working toward goals—it means you:

• Choose what matters most

• Prioritize energy management over just time management

• Bring more focus, creativity, and resilience to your work

• Experience fulfillment alongside productivity

When you elevate your being, your doing becomes more purposeful.

📘 Resource: Essentialism by Greg McKeown teaches how doing less, better, is a path to thriving.

Final Thoughts: Thriving Means Integrating, Not Choosing

To truly thrive, we don’t have to choose between being and doing—we must integrate the two.

Doing helps us achieve.
Being helps us connect.
Together, they help us elevate our lives with intention, joy, and impact.

So today, take a breath. Ask yourself not just What needs to get done? but also How do I want to feel? Who am I becoming?

When you root your actions in awareness, you don’t just get more done. You live more fully—and that’s the foundation of a thriving life.