The Busyness Epidemic… or Is It?

We don’t have a busyness epidemic — we have a prioritization problem. Everyone says they’re overwhelmed, slammed, buried. But somehow, the moment something exciting or personally meaningful shows up, calendars magically open.

So are we really too busy… or just busy with the wrong things?

We all do a great job of being busy. Busy doing what? Half the time, we couldn’t even explain it. Meetings, emails, calls, more meetings, reports, reviews, projects — the list never ends. And yet, so much of it is “busy work,” not meaningful work.

Maybe checking things off a list gives us the dopamine hit we crave. Maybe it feels good to say we’re busy. When someone tells us how busy they are, we often respond by proving we’re just as busy — maybe even busier. It’s almost a competition.

Let me take you back almost a decade. I had a coworker who constantly explained how impossibly busy they were. They declined to help with something and turned down a project because their plate was “too full.”

A day and a half later, they walked into my office glowing about “the most amazing” course opportunity — a two‑day training they absolutely had to attend. They spent ten minutes explaining how meaningful it was and how it would change their career.

I asked, “When is this training?” “In a week,” they said.

I smiled. “Didn’t you just tell me yesterday how busy you were and that you couldn’t take on anything else?”

They paused, smiled back, and said, “About that… I’ve figured out a way to balance everything.”

Of course, they had — because they actually wanted this.

After a few more minutes of bargaining, I approved the training and even nominated them for the two items they previously declined. I told them I was confident they’d find the time.

Fast‑forward three months: everything worked out. They later admitted the situation forced them to rethink how they prioritized their time. They started scheduling focused work blocks for projects and reports, and it changed everything.

Here’s the truth: when we prioritize the big, meaningful work during our most productive hours, it’s incredible how much we can accomplish. Protecting even two or three 60–90-minute deep‑work sessions a day can transform our effectiveness.

But too often, people burn their best hours on low‑value tasks instead of the work that actually moves the needle.

If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting the results you’ve always gotten. Change your mindset and habits, and the results change too. Understand your priorities — and your organization’s priorities — and you can schedule intentionally, work more efficiently, and grow faster.

You’re not alone. So many of us struggle with this. Everything competes for our attention, and everything is a “#1 priority” to someone. But if everything is a #1 priority, nothing truly is.

If you’re ready to break the cycle of “busy but not better,” message me. Let’s figure out the best pathway for you — and be accountability partners in building habits that actually move you forward.