Why I Loathe the Word "Busy"
Stable Diffusion drew me a throne with a clock embedded in it.

Why I Loathe the Word "Busy"

When you check in with someone about how they've been, so often, people will answer, "Good! Busy!" You'll get a conspiratorial eye roll, like, "you know what I mean, right?" Whoa. So much work.

There are usually one of two potential situations at play: either they're terribly overwhelmed and crushed under conflicting deadlines, or they're not busy but worried that to admit this is to somehow suggest that they are less desirable in the professional sense. "Busy" people are important people, or so people end up thinking.

Let's discount those people who try to wear "busy" as a job. I don't have much advice there. If you think busy is cool, we both live on different planets. I think using my time for what I want is cool.

Master Your Time and Your Relationship with Time

"Busy" comes from a lot of places. You might have too much on your plate at any one time. You might need more people to hand work to and delegate. This is tough if you run your own business or if you're solo. But if you lead a team, if you're the most busy person, you need to retune.

We all have lots on the plate. But we can only work on so much at any given moment. So, I propose a potential screening method. It comes from some of my morning rituals, but you can adopt this for your time thoughts.

I'm one of those people who fixes at least two drinks for myself in the morning: I drink a *very* weak iced tea (it's water that's oddly colored and tastes a bit like citrus), and I usually make a cup of the best coffee I've ever had. To make the coffee, I throw a pint of water into the microwave for 3 minutes.

I have two tasks to do at the same rough time: start the microwave and pour my iced tea drink. It takes 20 seconds to pour the drink. So which should I do first? The microwave. Because I have to heat that water for 3 minutes no matter what, so once I get the longer project that doesn't need me immediate input, I can focus on the one that does.

THAT is the story.

Sequence your time tasks. Look for longer projects that need a bite of your time before you get mired in the smaller ones. To steal from Stephen R. Covey, focus on the big rocks, and then the smaller tasks. Look at what matters and where your input is most important.

If you're a team leader, look for any places where you're accidentally bleeding time. Are you second guessing people? Are you making decisions your team is equipped to make? Are you redoing their work (this is an actual business sin - stop it!)?

Chop Relentlessly

Another way people lose mastery over time is that they are too polite to chop those areas that need removal. Stop those "brain picking" coffees that aren't leading to business. Stop at least some of your volunteer work (I'm volunteering later today, but I'm not on 15 different groups). Quit a few Netflix series. Sometimes, I find that I'm being a bit too liberal with my free time. Imagine that: "Hey, Chris. You're being too leisurely. Do some more things."

If you're "sticking to rituals and habits" but not considering your time AND you think think you're crazy busy, I'd offer that you're probably not considering your time scale. You've got too much going on.

Chop.

Delegate. Sequence. Chop.

Tools abound to own your time. And when you get better at it, PLEASE stop telling people you're busy. I never use the term. I just say I'm blessed. Know why? Because I "get to" do the work I do. I'm so very lucky.

And so are you!

Chris...

Tamara Lechner

Flourishing Science Business Leader * AI for Human Flourishing *Culture Consultant *Peak Performance Leadership Coach* ????????

1 年

Sounds a bit like Eisenhower’s matrix. And I always reframe busy to productive because my goal is to be hyper-productive without ever being busy.

  • 该图片无替代文字
回复
Fernando Shupe

If products could speak for themselves, they'd say what I say

1 年

10000%! I hate it when someone responds as busy. We're all busy, so it's just a natural state for most at this point. And with that said, the "busy" is mostly self-inflicted. It could be remedied, but lots of people wear "busy" like a badge of honor.

回复
Ted Rubin

Speaker / Author / Strategic Relationship Advisor... Straight Talk

1 年

Great post Chris, and right on point. I think the “busy” word is also used to fend off any possibility of outreach for so many that think of connection and relationship building as a chore… AND who worry that the outreach might require some sort of a commitment to be of assistance. Too many don’t want to expend that relationship energy, until they need something from you. #SadButTrue

回复
Rebecca Councill

Social Media Marketing Strategist, Consultant, and Educator. I create strategies and plans to help you create your path through the digital fields of Social Media. I specialize in non profits and LGBTQIA industries.

1 年

I get productive...and forget to slow down...

回复
Michael Dunn

CTO | Board Member | Advisor | Mentor

1 年

this is so spot on chris / i’ve always strived for balance in my own life and i mentor on the need to find it regularly / it takes effort to be balanced so if you put the same emphasis that it takes to feel “busy” to instead become “balanced” you’ll be fulfilled (stolen from previous comment - loved it instead of happy or successful) ????

回复

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Chris Brogan的更多文章

  • You Can't Beat Experience

    You Can't Beat Experience

    I wasn’t a great student in school. My challenge was unique: I could pick up concepts quickly, assume I’d mastered…

    8 条评论
  • The Vital Importance of Culture at a Remote Org

    The Vital Importance of Culture at a Remote Org

    When you Slack someone at my company, no matter if the world is on fire, we start with a polite and cordial greeting…

    11 条评论
  • Do You Run a Restaurant? Or Just Have Someone who Cooks?

    Do You Run a Restaurant? Or Just Have Someone who Cooks?

    Restaurants are fun, sometimes glamorous. I love a nice roadside diner, a good high volume burger place can be exciting.

    19 条评论
  • Knowledge is an Oft Wasted Resource

    Knowledge is an Oft Wasted Resource

    The moment your organization gets bigger than ten people, I feel there's a risk that someone in one part of the company…

    13 条评论
  • We Need To Take a Breath

    We Need To Take a Breath

    If you've watched my posts on here where I share photos I've taken, you'll know that I like to go out and shoot pics…

    29 条评论
  • What it Takes to Serve a CEO

    What it Takes to Serve a CEO

    The role of Chief of Staff is pretty unique (and I mean the kind who work with executives, not the KPI/OKR type). I…

    25 条评论
  • Every Chance to Speak is a Chance to Empower

    Every Chance to Speak is a Chance to Empower

    I noticed something about my boss the other day: he has a habit of talking about people when they're not around. And I…

    8 条评论
  • Work Alignment is the Goal, Not Career Development

    Work Alignment is the Goal, Not Career Development

    When I was an "up and coming" employee, I learned quickly that there wasn't some kind of obvious job ladder. Not for…

    17 条评论
  • When Others Are Unavailable: Consult Your Lists

    When Others Are Unavailable: Consult Your Lists

    In this US, this is one of those holidays weeks where some people take the week off, everyone takes at least two days…

    12 条评论
  • So, You Didn't Get the Promotion

    So, You Didn't Get the Promotion

    A long time ago, I reported to a person who reported to the chief technology officer of a company (one step removed…

    17 条评论

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了