Busyness vs. Productivity.

Busyness should not be confused with productivity.

It should also not be confused with good, meaningful work.

Busyness, or ‘hustle’, has somehow become synonymous with getting things done or even success.

I’ve been catching myself lately saying, “Oh, you know, I’ve been really busy with work” whenever someone asks how I am or what I’ve been up to. It frustrates me because firstly, it doesn’t accurately represent how I am. It’s a meaningless response to that question. And secondly, it’s not something that I should be wearing as a badge of honour.

To me, I feel that ‘busyness’ implies a lack of control. It means that I am occupied with putting out fires all the time.

I would much rather be purposefully applying myself to work, with intent and focus.

If I set aside blocks of deep work (i.e. work where all distractions are eliminated) that is specifically assigned to a task or responsibility, I am far more likely to be productive (i.e. complete that work to a high standard).

I don’t want to be busy. I want to be productive and effective.

Tomorrow I will discuss some strategies to combat ‘busyness’ and get more done. Stay tuned.