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Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem
We've all heard it. We've all said it. All too often, busyness gets the best of us.
Just one look at our jam-packed schedules tells us that we know how hard it can be to strike a well-reasoned balance between doing nothing and doing it all.
That's why Kevin DeYoung addresses the busyness in this book, and not with the typical arsenal of time-management tips, but with the biblical tools we need to get to the source of the issue and pull the problem out by the roots.
Just one look at our jam-packed schedules tells us that we know how hard it can be to strike a well-reasoned balance between doing nothing and doing it all.
That's why Kevin DeYoung addresses the busyness in this book, and not with the typical arsenal of time-management tips, but with the biblical tools we need to get to the source of the issue and pull the problem out by the roots.
124 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2013
477 people are currently reading
7966 people want to read
About the author
Kevin DeYoung
116 books1,219 followersKevin DeYoung is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church (RCA) in East Lansing, Michigan, right across the street from Michigan State University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,200 reviews
July 21, 2022
Five-plus stars for this one! So glad I read it. A succinct and life-changing book. Highly practical and super short, but packed with a message that will benefit so many. What are you waiting for? You have time. It is only 118 pages.
March 6, 2014
I gave this 3 stars, not because it is not a worthy read but because I want to keep my scale realistic. This was not a book to compete with most of my 4 star books. It was worth the time to read and it was helpful as a chat with a friend might be but it was not profound nor was it classic material. It was a solid 3 star book. I liked it.
October 11, 2013
What do you get when you put together a gifted, kind of techie young communicator from the culturally conservative end of the neo-Reformed spectrum with a contemporary topic like our culture's crazy busyness? This book had the feel of one that wrote itself—to take nothing away from that young communicator, Kevin DeYoung. He said all the things he was expected to say and yet managed to hold my interest the entire time. He also managed to write a Young, Restless, Reformed self-help book. And it actually worked.
In Crazy Busy , Kevin DeYoung admits to needing the book himself as much as he expects any of his readers to need it. He keeps his advice "mercifully short," which seemed to mean that every paragraph was written right to me. No extraneous chapters. Got the book done in time for the next item on my to-do list.
DeYoung also kept his advice gospel-centered without letting the jargon that has developed around that theological meme do the work for him. Without advertising his gospel-centeredness, he applied the same balanced approach to sanctification found in The Hole in Our Holiness to a particular problem, busyness, and he genuinely edified this reader.
I'll offer only a small sampling of the thoughts that helped me:
• It was helpful, coming at just the right time, to hear that some people will grab for your time until you have to cut them off—and that the most helpful thing you can do for them is to do what no one else has probably done for them: sit down and tell them that there must be limits to your friendship.
• It was helpful for DeYoung to expose his own desire to please people that sometimes makes him too busy. He would rather let down the people he loves the most than let down a random person who asked him to do something.
• Likewise, I also liked his thought that the compulsion to post regularly, to show up online without big gaps in between, may really boil down to serving a bunch of people who don't really care about you at the expense of those who need you the most.
• DeYoung stands a bit to the left of me on the always-obsessed-over theological spectrum, and yet I feel that it is I rather than he who feels more pressure to eschew legalism. He's also more spiritually mature and more life-experienced, so he helped me spot (just as he did in that aforementioned excellent book, The Hole in Our Holiness ) an overreaction to legalism in my own life. He really hammered on the importance of daily devotions, and he carefully denied that doing so was legalism. One helpful additional thought there (that I listened to as I crazy-busily mowed the lawn): he urged that devotions be the immovable rock which dictate other priorities. That is, if you know you are going to get up in the morning and read your Bible, there are some desserts or drinks or TV shows or Internet-rambling sessions that just won't happen.
• It was nice listening to a fellow tech-maven complaining about what the Internet has done to our brains while trying to be careful to hold on to baby and rid himself only of bathwater.
• I found it helpful that he ended the book by defending the idea that busyness isn't always sinful. Don't let that point erase the truths in the previous portion of the book, he said, but recognize that working till Jesus comes—and even suffering along the way—are to be expected in the Christian life.
Readers of DeYoung's blog will pick up on several sections of the book that were either lifted from his blog or posted there, apparently, during his work on the book. But they won't feel cheated. I was glad to be reminded of his words about parenting, for example.
If you are Crazy Busy , give this book a read/listen.
Note: I received review copies from Crossway, NetGalley, and Christian Audio. I wasn't required to say anything nice; I genuinely liked the book. (Oh yeah, and Adam Verner did a fine job on the audio narration.)
In Crazy Busy , Kevin DeYoung admits to needing the book himself as much as he expects any of his readers to need it. He keeps his advice "mercifully short," which seemed to mean that every paragraph was written right to me. No extraneous chapters. Got the book done in time for the next item on my to-do list.
DeYoung also kept his advice gospel-centered without letting the jargon that has developed around that theological meme do the work for him. Without advertising his gospel-centeredness, he applied the same balanced approach to sanctification found in The Hole in Our Holiness to a particular problem, busyness, and he genuinely edified this reader.
I'll offer only a small sampling of the thoughts that helped me:
• It was helpful, coming at just the right time, to hear that some people will grab for your time until you have to cut them off—and that the most helpful thing you can do for them is to do what no one else has probably done for them: sit down and tell them that there must be limits to your friendship.
• It was helpful for DeYoung to expose his own desire to please people that sometimes makes him too busy. He would rather let down the people he loves the most than let down a random person who asked him to do something.
• Likewise, I also liked his thought that the compulsion to post regularly, to show up online without big gaps in between, may really boil down to serving a bunch of people who don't really care about you at the expense of those who need you the most.
• DeYoung stands a bit to the left of me on the always-obsessed-over theological spectrum, and yet I feel that it is I rather than he who feels more pressure to eschew legalism. He's also more spiritually mature and more life-experienced, so he helped me spot (just as he did in that aforementioned excellent book, The Hole in Our Holiness ) an overreaction to legalism in my own life. He really hammered on the importance of daily devotions, and he carefully denied that doing so was legalism. One helpful additional thought there (that I listened to as I crazy-busily mowed the lawn): he urged that devotions be the immovable rock which dictate other priorities. That is, if you know you are going to get up in the morning and read your Bible, there are some desserts or drinks or TV shows or Internet-rambling sessions that just won't happen.
• It was nice listening to a fellow tech-maven complaining about what the Internet has done to our brains while trying to be careful to hold on to baby and rid himself only of bathwater.
• I found it helpful that he ended the book by defending the idea that busyness isn't always sinful. Don't let that point erase the truths in the previous portion of the book, he said, but recognize that working till Jesus comes—and even suffering along the way—are to be expected in the Christian life.
Readers of DeYoung's blog will pick up on several sections of the book that were either lifted from his blog or posted there, apparently, during his work on the book. But they won't feel cheated. I was glad to be reminded of his words about parenting, for example.
If you are Crazy Busy , give this book a read/listen.
Note: I received review copies from Crossway, NetGalley, and Christian Audio. I wasn't required to say anything nice; I genuinely liked the book. (Oh yeah, and Adam Verner did a fine job on the audio narration.)
April 29, 2024
Gosh, this small book hit me right in the heart. While reading Kevin’s words I felt like he was reading ME at times. His deeply relevant and scripture-filled assessments of our underlying motivations and misunderstandings that lead to hyper-busyness, with compassionate and salt-and-light-filled correction, gave freedom to something very burdened in me…
This short book was timely word for me!!!
I particularly related with his assessment on when we fall into “the terror of total obligation” when we start making our Christian lives about frantically doing things FOR God in a way that sometimes becomes the “idolatry of Christian service.” If you’ve struggled with that then you’ll DIG THIS book.
Two of my fave quotes—
“Jesus understood his mission. He was not driven by the needs of others, though he often stopped to help hurting people. He was not driven by the approval of others, though he cared deeply for the lost and the broken. Ultimately, Jesus was driven by the Spirit. He was driven by his God-given mission.
He knew his priorities and did not let the many temptations of a busy life deter him from his task. For Jesus that meant itinerant preaching, with devoted times of prayer, on his way to the cross.”
“Jesus didn't ‘do it all.’ He didn’t meet every need. He left people waiting in line to be healed. He left one town to preach to another. He hid away to pray. He got tired. He never interacted with the vast majority of people on the planet. He spent thirty years in training and only three years in ministry. He did not try to do it all. And yet, he did everything God asked him to do.”
This short book was timely word for me!!!
I particularly related with his assessment on when we fall into “the terror of total obligation” when we start making our Christian lives about frantically doing things FOR God in a way that sometimes becomes the “idolatry of Christian service.” If you’ve struggled with that then you’ll DIG THIS book.
Two of my fave quotes—
“Jesus understood his mission. He was not driven by the needs of others, though he often stopped to help hurting people. He was not driven by the approval of others, though he cared deeply for the lost and the broken. Ultimately, Jesus was driven by the Spirit. He was driven by his God-given mission.
He knew his priorities and did not let the many temptations of a busy life deter him from his task. For Jesus that meant itinerant preaching, with devoted times of prayer, on his way to the cross.”
“Jesus didn't ‘do it all.’ He didn’t meet every need. He left people waiting in line to be healed. He left one town to preach to another. He hid away to pray. He got tired. He never interacted with the vast majority of people on the planet. He spent thirty years in training and only three years in ministry. He did not try to do it all. And yet, he did everything God asked him to do.”
March 12, 2025
Finished this in one sitting because it was that good- and short I’ll note as well😁. Nothing is rocket science or new and groundbreaking, but the wisdom was amazingly practical. This book has left me wanting to optimize my priorities and daily nonnegotiable habits seeking more time with Christ. Busyness is inevitable in our fallen world, but let it not be the norm or see us sacrifice sitting at Jesus’ feet because of it.
June 14, 2025
So fitting that I read this book during slow evening hours at work and my lunch breaks! Kevin DeYoung walks the reader through problems with busyness, some simple solutions to managing time better, and ultimately leads the reader to Jesus by encouraging a personal relationship with God and devotion to the Word of God, worship, and prayer. I love how this book is not preachy or condescending, but loving and helpful. Rounding up to 4.5/5 stars :)
“The antidote to busyness of soul is not sloth and indifference. The antidote is rest, rhythm, death to pride, acceptance of our own finitude, and trust in the providence of God.” (page 102)
“The antidote to busyness of soul is not sloth and indifference. The antidote is rest, rhythm, death to pride, acceptance of our own finitude, and trust in the providence of God.” (page 102)
August 12, 2025
Good, short read on a problem I struggle with. Very helpful for self-reflection on the root of why life becomes so busy and why we say yes to more things than we can handle. Is it truly to help and serve others, or is it an issue of pride?
Sometimes, we can better serve others when we have fewer things on our plates and prioritize accordingly.
Yet sometimes it is important to be busy for those we care for. As DeYoung says "Some forms of busyness are from the Lord, and bring Him glory. Effective love is rarely efficient. People take time, relationships are messy. If we love others, how can we not be busy and burdened at least some of the time?"
Sometimes, we can better serve others when we have fewer things on our plates and prioritize accordingly.
Yet sometimes it is important to be busy for those we care for. As DeYoung says "Some forms of busyness are from the Lord, and bring Him glory. Effective love is rarely efficient. People take time, relationships are messy. If we love others, how can we not be busy and burdened at least some of the time?"
December 10, 2018
The best thing about this book is that it is short. Well, actually, the best thing about this book is that it is good, true, helpful, insightful, down-to-earth, realistic, challenging, and encouraging. And short!
DeYoung helpfully brings a biblical analysis of the possible causes of busyness that we all would do well to ponder. He also explains that there is some busyness that is unavoidable outside the convent and cloister.
The section on the role of technology and the internet on our increasingly frazzled and fractured minds was especially excellent.
Some of my simple takeaways were: Learn to prioritize (and re-prioritize regularly) your life, live intentionally, and keep 'margins' for the unexpected.
DeYoung helpfully brings a biblical analysis of the possible causes of busyness that we all would do well to ponder. He also explains that there is some busyness that is unavoidable outside the convent and cloister.
The section on the role of technology and the internet on our increasingly frazzled and fractured minds was especially excellent.
Some of my simple takeaways were: Learn to prioritize (and re-prioritize regularly) your life, live intentionally, and keep 'margins' for the unexpected.
January 26, 2025
helpful!! A question for self-diagnosis that Kevin DeYoung recommends asking when serving others is “am I doing this for the good of others or am I doing this to look good?” This book was convicting to a people pleaser and a chronically “busy” person. The author gives a well-balanced perspective. He doesn’t go from one extreme to the other. DeYoung calls his audience to reexamine their priorities while not diagnosing busyness as a sin which God can call us to in seasons. Busyness of course can be sinful, and he doesn’t dismiss that, but it can also be what the Lord calls you to. DeYoung undoubtedly pleads with the audience to sit at Jesus’s feet and to rest.
January 17, 2024
Typical of everything that is good about DeYoung as a writer.
Punchy, thoughtful, practical, concise, engaging, prevents you from feeling unnecessarily guilty and helps you to love Jesus more and serve him better.
Should definitely use with busy people!
Best one I know out there on this topic.
Useful quotes
“Pride is the villain with a thousand faces” pg 35
Punchy, thoughtful, practical, concise, engaging, prevents you from feeling unnecessarily guilty and helps you to love Jesus more and serve him better.
Should definitely use with busy people!
Best one I know out there on this topic.
Useful quotes
“Pride is the villain with a thousand faces” pg 35
March 11, 2018
Own.
This was helpful in considering business and countering it and remembering our need for it. It took me more than a year to read as it got stuck on the shelf because I was so busy.
This was worth reading and had good, pastoral instruction.
This was helpful in considering business and countering it and remembering our need for it. It took me more than a year to read as it got stuck on the shelf because I was so busy.
This was worth reading and had good, pastoral instruction.
October 1, 2013
Some really good observations about a really common problem.
March 21, 2024
In one sense, it’s like every other Christian book about busyness (and they are a dime a dozen). But I really like Deyoungs for several reasons. 1) it’s, as advertised, mercifully short. Which just goes to show that he knows his audience is busy and they don’t want to read a massive volume about this. 2) it is thoroughly biblical with a healthy emphasis on spiritual disciplines. 3) his sections about work and sabbath are really good. I appreciate his appeal to pre-fall in his establishment in the goodness of both work and rest.
Overall, it’s a good quick read (or listen) about the subject of being busy, and so far it is at the top of my list of books I would recommend about busyness.
Overall, it’s a good quick read (or listen) about the subject of being busy, and so far it is at the top of my list of books I would recommend about busyness.
December 28, 2013
In his timely book, DeYoung has a necessary talk with us. Many different questions could lead a believer to this book. Is technology dangerous? Should I work for more efficiency in my work, or should I start saying "no"? Is there a Christian view of sleep? Isn't there some busy-ness that's necessary? What does the Bible actually say about all of this? DeYoung addresses each of these questions from different angles in a series of relevant talking-points. He speaks like a good pastor, which means he's candid without being sensational or shocking. DeYoung has made this personal journey himself, and this book helps you retrace that journey in your own life, if you're willing to be honest as you read. If believers don't have this discussion with someone, they run the great risk of flowing downstream with a culture secretly eroding from being "crazy busy." You may as well have this talk with DeYoung. Not many other Christians are talking about it.
September 2, 2021
Far out.
Busyness is the smoking of our generation, except it may literally be worse.
It can be all-consuming, socially devastating, emotionally draining and spiritually crippling.
I've never smoked, but I've heard it's incredibly difficult to quit. I have been busy, however, and I find it very difficult to quit being busy. I can sometimes 'be good' and slow myself down and be more intentional with my time. But I often 'relapse' into a cycle of saying "yes" to everything, not prioritising what's important, and allow my entire physical, social and spiritual wellbeing fall by the wayside at the feet of being "productive".
This book was a wake-up call and a prescription.
It was a don't smoke ad, and a script for nicotine patches.
Yeah, OK, I'll drop the analogy...
This book is a must read for busy people (i.e. people who are addicted to busyness) (i.e., pretty much everyone) If you are already a Christian, this will speak your language. If you're not, I'd read it anyway.
Busyness is the smoking of our generation, except it may literally be worse.
It can be all-consuming, socially devastating, emotionally draining and spiritually crippling.
I've never smoked, but I've heard it's incredibly difficult to quit. I have been busy, however, and I find it very difficult to quit being busy. I can sometimes 'be good' and slow myself down and be more intentional with my time. But I often 'relapse' into a cycle of saying "yes" to everything, not prioritising what's important, and allow my entire physical, social and spiritual wellbeing fall by the wayside at the feet of being "productive".
This book was a wake-up call and a prescription.
It was a don't smoke ad, and a script for nicotine patches.
Yeah, OK, I'll drop the analogy...
This book is a must read for busy people (i.e. people who are addicted to busyness) (i.e., pretty much everyone) If you are already a Christian, this will speak your language. If you're not, I'd read it anyway.
September 7, 2019
Concise, practical. Really good and succinct. I SO relate to DeYoung on his disposition and struggles. Really good to read as I’m trying to distribute time well and prioritize time.
July 4, 2022
Una belleza como escribe este hombre, es todo tan simple que me encanta. Se nota lo íntegro, y humilde en cada capítulo.. quiero seguir leyendo todos los libros de este hombre 🙌🏻
February 10, 2025
This book really helped me to take a hard look at the cause of extreme busyness in my own life. I finished this book with a personal call to action to discern my own motives in filling up the calendar and boasting in my schedule.
“The presence of extreme busyness in our lives may point to deeper problems - a pervasive people-pleasing, a restless ambition, a malaise of meaningfulness. ‘Busyness serves as a kind of existential reassurance, a hedge against emptiness,’ writes Tim Kreider in his viral article, ‘The ‘Busy’ Trap,’ for the New York Times, ‘Obviously your life cannot possible be silly or trivial or meaningless if you are so busy, completely booked, in demand every hour of the day.’ The great danger with busyness is that there may be greater dangers you never have time to consider. Busyness does not mean you are a faithful or fruitful Christian. It only means you are busy, just like everyone else.”
“The presence of extreme busyness in our lives may point to deeper problems - a pervasive people-pleasing, a restless ambition, a malaise of meaningfulness. ‘Busyness serves as a kind of existential reassurance, a hedge against emptiness,’ writes Tim Kreider in his viral article, ‘The ‘Busy’ Trap,’ for the New York Times, ‘Obviously your life cannot possible be silly or trivial or meaningless if you are so busy, completely booked, in demand every hour of the day.’ The great danger with busyness is that there may be greater dangers you never have time to consider. Busyness does not mean you are a faithful or fruitful Christian. It only means you are busy, just like everyone else.”
May 15, 2025
“The business that is bad is not the business of work, but the business that works at the wrong things”
Listened to this during work
Listened to this during work
March 7, 2019
Deuxième fois que je lis ce livre, et il m’a encore plus impacté que la première fois il y a 2-3 ans. Un livre à lire chaque année !
May 12, 2022
Basic, but good. I especially liked the parenting chapter.
“Busyness does not mean you are a faithful or fruitful Christian. It only means you are busy, just like everyone else. And like everyone else, your joy, your heart and your soul are in danger.”
“Jesus understood his mission. He was not driven by the needs of others, though he often stopped to help hurting people. He was not driven by the approval of others, though he cared deeply for the lost and the broken. Ultimately, Jesus was driven by the Spirit. He was driven by his God-given mission. He knew his priorities and did not let the many temptations of a busy life deter him from his task.”
“Busyness does not mean you are a faithful or fruitful Christian. It only means you are busy, just like everyone else. And like everyone else, your joy, your heart and your soul are in danger.”
“Jesus understood his mission. He was not driven by the needs of others, though he often stopped to help hurting people. He was not driven by the approval of others, though he cared deeply for the lost and the broken. Ultimately, Jesus was driven by the Spirit. He was driven by his God-given mission. He knew his priorities and did not let the many temptations of a busy life deter him from his task.”
December 31, 2018
En “Súper ocupados”, Kevin DeYoung no habla como si tuviera todas las respuestas. De hecho, reconoce que estar súper ocupado es uno de sus más grandes problemas. Como alguien quien aspira a escribir libros, eso me reconforta: no solo los expertos escriben. Además, la disposición del autor a reconocer sus deficiencias nos ayuda a leer con mucha más apertura.
De este libro no esperes 5 sencillos pasos para organizar mejor tu día. Los problemas del cristiano súper ocupado son mucho más profundos que la incapacidad de mantener una agenda. Si te sientes abrumado con todas tus responsabilidades, este libro te ayudará a encontrar descanso en Dios.
(Reseña completa en mi blog de Medium).
De este libro no esperes 5 sencillos pasos para organizar mejor tu día. Los problemas del cristiano súper ocupado son mucho más profundos que la incapacidad de mantener una agenda. Si te sientes abrumado con todas tus responsabilidades, este libro te ayudará a encontrar descanso en Dios.
(Reseña completa en mi blog de Medium).
June 14, 2022
Scarily applicable and fantastically encouraging.
May 28, 2023
Short and sweet, as described. DeYoung has written a snappy theological book that manages to mix depth with brevity. Little nuggets of truth to chew on; interestingly, he doesn’t choose one or two key Bible passages (eg Zeal without Burnout, C. Ash), but writes about problems and weaves in short verses of Scripture to back up his point where appropriate. I probably was expecting more Bible, but in spite of that, there were a number of helpful, thought-provoking points. (“Even Jesus didn’t say yes to everyone,” is one that stood out for me.)
April 30, 2025
This really is a helpful little book. Chapters 7 and the second half of 8 were really good, especially for someone who grew up on the internet and suffered from self-imposed sleep debt. But the real gem is the reminder in chapter 10 to choose the good portion and spend time with our Lord, in his word and in prayer.
September 3, 2022
Our lifegroup read this together. Deyoung has an engaging, honest voice that draws you in to the discussion. The chapter about business in parenting was helpful. Overall the book was surprisingly balanced and Bible based.
January 20, 2024
It started slow but I leaned in halfway through in the chapters on parenting, sleep, and margin. Good observations and helpful exhortations.
August 20, 2017
This tiny little book packs a good punch to our idea that we are "too crazy busy." Learn too take your to-do list to God and make sure you are doing what matters most.
April 4, 2025
Audiobooked it & was a great reminder to let the main thing be our first thing. What we prioritize matters and our first priority should always be Jesus and time with Him. Let not our business cloud that truth.
June 11, 2023
A great, challenging book with lots of practical application!
“The antidote to busyness of soul is not sloth and indifference. The antidote is rest, rhythm, death to pride, acceptance of our own finitude, and trust in the providence of God. The busyness that’s bad is not the busyness of work but the busyness that works hard at the wrong things” (pg 102)
“The antidote to busyness of soul is not sloth and indifference. The antidote is rest, rhythm, death to pride, acceptance of our own finitude, and trust in the providence of God. The busyness that’s bad is not the busyness of work but the busyness that works hard at the wrong things” (pg 102)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,200 reviews