Two years ago banned myself from saying the word busy about my life. Why did I do this? I started noticing that people kept using the word busy as something that should be aspired to, something that people should drive to achieve, something that people should focus on. What we focus on we achieve. So, for me, focusing on being busy, would achieve exactly that – to make me more busier. I then decided that the word busy wasn’t something I wanted to describe my life. It took a while for the first thing out of my mouth to not be “I’m busy” when someone asked how I was. It has given me the change to reflect and prioritise. How am I? Am I productive? Am I focussed? Am I driven? Am I contemplating? Am I enjoying time for myself and my family?
Seth Godin’s blog reminded me this week that we should rethink our lives and priorities if we have the badge of being busy.
Busy is not the point
There’s a common safe place: Being busy.
We’re supposed to give you a pass because you were full on, all day. Frantically moving from one thing to the other, never pausing to catch your breath, and now you’re exhausted.
No points for busy.
Points for successful prioritization. Points for efficiency and productivity. Points for doing work that matters.
No points for busy.