Busting the “Busy” Myth — Nicole Negowetti Coaching

“I’m so busy!” Do you find yourself saying that often? “Busy” is a typical response we give when someone asks how we’re doing or how things are going in our personal or professional lives. I used to believe that being “busy” meant that I was getting things done, which made me feel accomplished. I equated “busyness” with productivity.

When I realized that I wasn’t actually spending my time in a way that aligned with my priorities and that I wasn’t getting the results I wanted in my life even though I was always “way too busy,” I changed my thinking about what it means to be “busy.”

Now I understand that being “busy” is a way of buffering — of using time unintentionally and without purpose. Think about how it feels to be busy. When I believed I was always “too busy,” I felt frantic, anxious, disorganized, stressed, and overwhelmed. If something happened to require a change in my schedule, such as receiving an urgent request from a client or when childcare plans fell through, I felt like I was hopelessly thrown off track for the week, if not the month. Through coaching, I discovered a much better way to get things done, without the stress and overwhelm.

My coaching practice is devoted to helping high-achieving women boost their productivity and a key aspect of this work is to help them change their thoughts about being “busy.” At first read, it may seem counterintuitive to suggest that we can become more productive, that is, get more done, while being less frenzied, less stressed, and less “busy.” Not only is it possible, it’s essential to become less busy to become more productive. The secret is learning how to invest our time wisely, deliberately, and to treat time for what it is — our most valuable and precious resource. By filling our days with tasks dictated by others and with little regard to whether we either want to do those tasks or whether they help us get the results we want in our lives, we become immersed in a state of “busyness.” And then it feels like we’ve lost control of our lives and our time. Tragically, it then becomes all too easy to put our dreams and our true priorities — health and wellness, enjoying our families, connecting with friends, achieving our most important goals — on the backburner until we “have time.”

We can wait forever for the perfect moment to reclaim our time and our lives and to get started doing the things that really matter to us. It’s unlikely that a less busy and better time will ever arrive, because “busy” is a mindset. Being truly productive and becoming someone who honors her dreams requires breaking free of the “busy” mentality and the belief that endless to-do lists and commitments is an inevitable part of life as a high-achiever. Instead, it means viewing “busyness” not as the equivalent of, but as the enemy of productivity. My approach to productivity is focused on the results you’re creating in your life. Productivity is not about filling all your waking hours with tasks, it’s about being strategic and doing what matters to you to produce the results you want. Productivity defined this way requires focus and intention.

I challenge you to imagine who you are if you’re not “busy.” What could you create if you were more focused and intentional about how you spent your precious time each day? In contrast, what does “busy” feel like for you? Do you think it’s possible to create your best work from this state? How do you show up for your family, friends, clients, employer or employee when you’re in “busy” mode? Are you able to be focused and present in this mode?

So, how do we break free of “busyness?” With focus and intentionality. Reclaiming your time by saying “yes” to what matters and “no” to everything else is the only way to achieve our big goals and live a life of purpose, on purpose.

Want to learn more about how to do this? Download my free Overwhelm Detox Guide to break free of stress, over-commitment, and overwhelm. Join me in ending the glorification of “busyness” and celebrating intentionality!

Originally published at https://www.nencoaching.com on September 9, 2020.