You’re busy! Are you productive too?

Let’s talk busyness.

I spent some time traveling the last weeks, visiting hotels with conference facilities.

I love hotels with conference facilities. They’re a source of inspiration for stories.

Not only are the hotels happy Covid is under control, but so am I. 

It’s mad busyness. And I love to watch it.

People running around like mosquitos searching for blood. 

The blood is proverbial language for meeting rooms, coffee breaks, breakfast buddies, quick emails, phone notifications, and conversation partners.

I was also participating in a meeting. But I’m well-prepared, organized, and experienced.

Busyness doesn’t get me.

I know how these things work, so I’ve created time to observe people and occasionally look them in the eyes. 

I want to see the madness. I want to see the busyness. I want to see the look of not knowing where to go next.

Most of all, I want to see the constant pressure of so much to do and so little time.

I want to see the panic when they need to return to the meeting with a quick cappuccino from the automatic coffee machine, only to find out there’s no milk left.

I want to see the joy of the guy who eats all the cookies, his body revealing he does this more often.

Observing some people, it looks like they’re anxiously trying to make up for lost Covid time.

Am I exaggerating? 

Of course, a little. But I wouldn’t be able to write this down as descriptively as I did if I didn’t see it happening.

My point?

We’re busier than ever (again).

We’re also more stupid than ever.

All the stories about work getting done differently seem to have disappeared. 

The need to meet has taken over (again).

Don’t get me wrong; I greatly believe in face-to-face contact. I even prefer it.

It just needs a clear purpose.

With purpose, I mean that it’s not about meeting for meeting’s sake; it’s about meeting with a purpose.

It’s about growing your business or team with a purpose.

The crucial word here is productive.

The crucial move is to leave the stage of being busy and enter the stage of being productive.

It’s not about working harder. It’s about working smarter.

It’s about understanding at what stage you are in the growth of your business or team. 

Every leader, team, or business will face a moment when doing stuff and being busy becomes too busy. 

A moment when it’s time to pause and figure out the actions to be taken to become more productive.

In the big scheme of things, to prioritize the initiatives that will drive your business forward.

In the small scheme of things, to inspire your people to reflect on their own work, allowing them to do what matters most and be where they contribute most.

Don’t waste your time in meetings, online, in the office, or in any hotel conference room.

When you’re most productive, where silence is present, find your silence. If open spaces are not your thing, don’t sit in open spaces.

When roles and responsibilities are unclear, at least ensure you know what’s expected of you.

There are so many factors that influence busyness and productivity that you need to get control over your own time.

And be grateful that you have a leader who understands this or be this leader yourself.

Be the milk in the coffee machine that never runs out.

Your turn: busy or productive?

Do more of what makes you happy!

Erikjan