The business of busyness

[Year 3, Edition 5]

Welcome to my latest #FridayReflection. The topic of the week is the business of busyness; and why successful people never complain saying "I'm so busy."

To all busy bees: Are you on the wrong track?

Saying "I’m so busy" is the same as saying "I don’t have my life in order."

When I first moved to the UK to study business, I found it ironic that ‘busyness’ and ‘business’ are almost spelled the same. At first, I thought it was a contradiction—surely business people were the ones with radical focus, while the ‘busy’ ones were just overwhelmed, constantly chasing tasks without direction.

But over time, I realised: busyness is not a sign of success. It’s a symptom of distraction.

Busyness is often driven by:

• The need to control everything.
• A lack of trust in others.
• The need to be liked or validated.
• The fear of missing out.
• A lack of focus and conviction.

Finding focus in a noisy world isn’t easy.

Every day, we’re bombarded with glittery distractions, tempting shortcuts, and the illusion of quick success.

But real success? It comes from knowing what truly matters and having the courage to let go of everything else.

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life." – Socrates

Your Path, Not A Path

This is your life. Your journey.

No need to follow someone else’s blueprint. Look for inspiration, yes, but make sure 95% of your energy is spent making your own path meaningful for you.

This week, stop yourself when you say "I’m so busy."

Pause. Reassess your priorities.

Be bold enough to reshuffle them. Write them down.

A priority isn’t a short-term goal. It’s a guiding principle. Your list might look like:

• Health
• Family
• Financial Independence

Now, ask yourself: If I am so busy - what that I am currently doing is not fuelling my top priorities? Am I taking on too much? Am I assuming responsibility for things that are not my responsibility? Am I realistic with myself?

Why Successful People Never Say "I’m Too Busy"

Have you ever heard a high-achiever say, "I’m too busy"? Probably not.

Why? Because they either accept and delegate, or they reject straight away.

Successful people think differently

One thing that separates high-performing business leaders from the rest? They are able to make fast decisions.

• Not rushed decisions.
• Not reckless decisions.
• But fast, clear, and intentional decisions.

And they get it right more often than wrong.

People who hesitate, overthink, constantly postpone, or even worse outsource decisions usually don’t have a clear hierarchy of priorities. If you know what truly matters, saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to opportunities is easy. It only is hard if you are confused.?

Why is it hard for people to know their priorities and stick to them?

Simple:

• Firstly, often they lack clarity of vision & conviction
• Secondly, they lack strategic thinking & discipline?

Here’s the good news, with the right help the above can be learned and implemented. It’s not easy, nothing is - but it will be a game changer for the individual and the organisations or teams they lead.

• Have a clear focus.
• Know what to say 'yes' and 'no' to—fast.
• Delegate effectively. (Hint: hire better people, trust them, and let them do their job.)

Instead of "I’m too busy," say: "That’s not my focus right now."

How to say no with confidence

Setting boundaries isn’t about being difficult—it’s about protecting your energy for what truly matters. Here are some simple ways to say no with grace:

• "Thank you for thinking of me, but my focus is elsewhere right now."
• "I appreciate the opportunity, but I have to decline."
• "That’s not aligned with my current goals, but I wish you success!"
• "I won’t be able to take this on—have you considered asking [someone else]?"

And back to the original point of the one letter difference between business and busyness.

Busyness Is Not Business

Many businesses today create busyness rather than value. There’s an entire industry of endless meetings, reports, and noise that leads nowhere. People are hiding behind committees, mutual decisions, investigations and deep dives... Smaller firms often don't have those challenges. They embrace more an entrepreneurial can-do attitude culture. Where collaboration and inventiveness are personality traits that are desired - because they deliver an outcome.

So here's the hard truth: If you can’t see the outcome of your work, you might be in a busy role, not a business role. And if you're in a busy role, how engaged are you? Are you bringing your best self to work and unlocking your biggest gift and talents with the firm?

Please comment below what drives and fuels your energy at work. Would love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading to the end.

Stay #gracefullyBOLD.

Nora

P.S. Please share this post if it resonates with you.

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Hi, I am Nora Stolz. Organisational Culture Consultant, Executive Coach, and Career Concierge

I help fast-paced financial services companies build a culture of growth, performance, and collaboration. Organisation design to harness the power within.