Does being busy make you feel important?
Would it feel strange to tell people that you weren’t too busy?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. Shortly after I decided to stop saying “I’m sorry” to people (which, by the way, has made a huge difference in the way I think and act), I started to hear myself saying again and again, “I’m super busy.” I’ve said it so many times that I actually believe it.
But in reality, it’s not true. I’m just not focused enough on what really needs to get done. And I’ve developed a habit of saying and feeling that I’m too busy.
A Message from Chris Brogan
Then, this morning, I got an email from Chris Brogan about the busy trap. Chris said in a wonderful way, what I’ve started thinking.
If you get clear on what you want to accomplish and set yourself, step after step, toward those goals, you’re likely to get them done.
But if you don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish or don’t focus on getting there, you’ll be racing hither and thither being very busy, without (perhaps) accomplishing much.
Simple and powerful!
Rather than trying to rewrite Chris’ great message, I’ll excerpt and adapt it here. You can sign up for Chris’ emails here. He does a great job.
The Paradox of Getting More Done (excerpt from Chris Brogan’s email)
Busy is often the product of poor aim.
If you have too much to do, it’s often because you’re shooting at too many targets. You’re seeing the entire battlefield and not the objective.
…
You are most likely shooting at a lot of things. Instead, seek the actual objective.
If you run a corporate retreat, maybe the objective is 4 successful bookings a month. If you do website design projects, maybe it’s 8 sites completed per month.
Now you’re aiming at something. Train and Work and Measure THAT
Everything else becomes secondary.
- Make your work match your target.
- Train (learn) to support your goal of hitting your target.
- Measure your success at hitting your target.
…
Stop Wasting So Much Energy
You waste energy and time in the following places (just to name a few):
- Keeping up. Stop it.
- Learning random things. You don’t need to be a website designer to launch a business.
- Wasting time to save money. If you can spend $1000 to make $5000, that’s a win.
- Doing what others want us to do versus serving the people who matter to us.
- Saying yes. ← Stop and stare at this one, then nod that you’re saying yes where you shouldn’t. Often. Too much.
Will What You’re Doing Get You Where You Want to Go?
The question isn’t how much you get done, but whether what you get done gets you to where you want to go.
Do you know where you want to go?
My Resolution: No more “I’m too busy.” Just go where I want to go.
I’m going to stop saying, “I’m too busy.” I’m really not! And when I feel that way it just means that I’m not focused on where I want to go.
Just like saying “I’m sorry” all the time made me feel apologetic, saying “I’m too busy” makes me feel frantic.
I can change this habit of speech and so can you. If we stop telling ourselves and others that we’re too busy, I suspect we’ll just start getting the job done. And that’s what matters. Right?
ThisNotice: Do You Tell People You’re Too Busy?
The next time you’re hear yourself saying or thinking you’re too busy, ask yourself if what you’ve been doing over the last hour or day or week has really moved you closer to your goals. If it hasn’t, then make a list of the things you could be doing that would get you to your goals. Stop doing everything else and do those things. Notice if you still feel too busy!
Leave a comment about whether you’re too busy in the comments below, or let yourself stand tall over on Facebook and leave your comment there.
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