Keeping busy is a good distraction. It does take us away from those troubling thoughts that provoke anxiety, worry, sadness, or anger. However, being with those feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger can help us to go deeper into what other emotions are there and into what we can learn from those emotions. What are they trying to tell us?
Keeping busy does help decrease anxiety. On the other hand, we risk developing a perceived need to be busy. Being with those painful experiences for even just a few minutes can teach us about beneficial changes we can make not only to feel better but to become better.