Are You Busy Being Busy? ?? ?? ?? ?????!

Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity - William of Ockham

Ever feel like you’re constantly running behind, even when you’re working hard? You wake up, and hit the ground running, but somehow the list keeps growing. And by the end of the day, when you look back, it’s like, What did I even accomplish? Sure, you’ve been busy, but nothing actually feels done.

We’ve all been there—working late, weekends, pushing harder because we think more hours will finally help us catch up. But it’s a trap. We do this all the time, especially when perfectionism sneaks in. You know how it goes: you’re adjusting and tweaking endlessly, trying to make things “just right,” only to miss the deadline altogether. I once spent days tweaking a presentation—colors, fonts, the works. But by the time I finished, it was too late to present. Done is better than perfect most of the time, but we fool ourselves into thinking otherwise.

That’s where Occam’s Razor comes into play. The simplest solution is usually the best. We complicate things because we think more detail means better results. But more often than not, it’s the opposite. I’ve seen it happen in marketing campaigns. We had this elaborate plan, with layer after layer of complexity, but it bombed. When we stripped it down to the essentials, it clicked. Sometimes, less really is more.

I know a story that typifies the opposite of this in the context of a ride-hailing start-up here in Ethiopia. They’ve been in development for four years, pouring money into it with no operational results. It’s the classic sunk cost fallacy in action. They’ve already invested so much that walking away seems impossible. But here’s the thing: just because you’ve spent a ton of resources doesn’t mean it’s worth continuing. Sometimes, you need to cut your losses. We hold on to deadweight, thinking we can salvage it when, really, we’re just burning ourselves out.

Speaking of doing less, let’s talk about the Pareto Principle. You’ve probably heard it as the 80/20 rule: 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort. The thing is, most of us spend our time on the other 80%—tasks that don’t really move the needle. We fill our days with busywork, thinking we’re being productive, but the real progress comes from focusing on the key tasks that actually matter. Imagine how much time we’d save if we put our energy into that high-impact 20%. Let’s say you’re running a consultancy project and have a ton on your plate: writing reports, scheduling calls, answering basic client emails, and figuring out the main strategy for the project. But here’s the thing—80% of the project’s success is going to come from just 20% of what you’re doing, which is building out the strategy and keeping the client happy.

So, instead of wasting time on low-value tasks like scheduling or drafting routine emails, hand those off to someone else. Get a junior team member or an admin to take care of the busywork. This frees up your time to focus on what actually moves the needle—nailing the project’s strategy and making sure the client is on board. Without stretching yourself thin, you stay locked in on the critical pieces that make the biggest difference, while the smaller tasks still get done.

And that’s where Parkinson’s Law comes into play. You know this one even if you don’t know the name. It’s the idea that work expands to fill the time you give it. If you give yourself a week to complete something, you’ll use the whole week. But if you set a tight deadline, suddenly you’re laser-focused and get it done faster. Urgency makes you prioritize what’s important and ignore the fluff.

Now, there’s another mental trap. That is, thinking you know more than you actually do, thanks to the Dunning-Kruger effect. When we start something, we tend to feel overconfident, only to realize later how little we actually knew. I’ve taken on projects, sure I had it all figured out, only to watch them fall apart because I hadn’t asked enough questions or admitted what I didn’t know. Humility goes a long way in saving you from those costly mistakes.

So, what do we do with all this?

The first step is all about letting go—let go of the need for perfection, the time you’ve already spent on low-impact tasks, and the belief that putting in more hours equals better results. Focus on what truly matters. Simplify your approach and prioritize that crucial 20%. And don’t hesitate to set tighter deadlines for yourself. However, it’s not about working harder but also about knowing when to push forward and when to walk away. The grind will always be there, but how you approach it can make all the difference.