I popped up a reel on Instagram on Friday with this statement – Busyness is laziness – and asked people to comment on what it might mean.
People got it!
I can’t take any credit for the phrase. This comes from the entrepreneur Tim Ferris from his podcast, The Tim Ferris Show, which I am an avid listener of. Here’s the link to the podcast, and you can read the transcript too (which I also find helpful for remembering specific things, as the content is very rich).
As you know I’ve been working in the background for the last six months with a business strategist, which I’ve really enjoyed. It is, unfortunately, coming to an end soon. One of the biggest blocks I’ve had in this process has been TIME.
Time, as a concept, is an interesting one, and I will leave that for another blog… How we perceive it is fundamentally something to be spent, or saved (like money). Either way, it’s there to be “used” and HOW we do this can make a huge difference to two things:
- Our PRODUCTIVITY
- Our ENERGY
It’s my personal belief and a huge part of what I teach people, that we don’t really want to be spending one at the expense of another. Sometimes, of course, we do: short-term deadlines where we are going to use our adrenaline to push through and crash afterwards, and then spend time resting and filling our cup to get our energy back.
However, if we are constantly prioritising productivity, we will burn out, as our energy isn’t protected keeps taking a hit until we are unable to keep producing it. This is basically what burn out is.
Ultimately, we are looking for BALANCE – spending time in a way that creates and/or protects both, or at least using one to counterbalance the other. It’s a wellbeing equation, which you should be putting yourself IN (rather than leaving yourself out of, which many people do).
ANYWAY – the two things from Tim which have stood out to me and made a HUGE difference to the way I am using time now, are these:
- Make before manage
- Busynes is laziness
1 – so something creative, make something, whether it’s a blog, a post, or a rug – BEFORE you spend your time putting out fires, attending to the millions of house-administration jobs etc. Simple. I have LOVED this, it’s made a huge difference. WHAT you make is going to depend on your energy, your values, your goals.
2 – stop making yourself “legitimately” busy with all the THINGS which actually stop you from getting the most important thing done. Often the most important thing is the thing that feels the most exposing, vulnerable, the most like an imposter. These are the reasons we procrastinate, not because of a lack of skill or knowledge. Everyone does it, even the most seasoned and famous. Being aware of this and how it actually makes you lazy due to avoidance, has helped me big time. If you’re going to be busy, be busy on the things that actually matter to you and make a difference.
You CAN be productive, and you don’t need to burn out to do so.
Please pass this on to a friend who needs to hear this! And, I’d love to hear from you and see how you go with implementing these understandings and strategies, drop me a line, anytime. Email or Instagram.
With love, Charlotte.