I recently read Brianna West’s book “The Mountain is You” in which she describes many types of self-sabotage – one of them is being busy.
I found this really interesting because so often I say that “I’m really busy” or hear business owners talk about how they are too busy to do things. It sometimes feels like we have to tell people that we’re busy in order to keep up! If we were to admit that we weren’t busy what would people think about us, our businesses and our lives.
But, in the pursuit of constant “busyness”, are we actually sabotaging our own success?
Brianna West delves into the idea that self-sabotage is often a misguided form of self-protection. We fill our days with tasks and activities, convincing ourselves that we are being productive. However, this perpetual busyness can be a mechanism to avoid facing deeper issues such as fear of failure, lack of clarity, or low self-worth.
West argues that busyness can mask our reluctance to confront what truly needs attention in our lives and businesses. By constantly being on the go, we avoid the uncomfortable but necessary introspection required to understand our true goals and desires. This avoidance keeps us in a cycle of surface-level productivity, never truly addressing the root causes of our challenges.
In reading Brianna’s book, I realised that this is something that I do. If I’m faced with something outside of my comfort zone I will often be too busy doing other things so that I can’t do that task, go to that meeting, or record that video!
We need to remember that being busy is not the same as being effective.
How often do you find yourself multitasking – or at least trying to?!
Whilst some of us strive to be able to multitask, the reality is that this can lead to decreased efficiency and increased stress. Instead we should be looking to prioritise the tasks that align with our long-term goals and delegating or eliminating those that don’t.
When we spread ourselves too thin the quality of work that we do often diminishes as does our energy. So, it is important that we focus on the high-impact activities and take a more strategic approach to time management, enabling us to achieve more with less effort, reducing the likelihood or burnout and supporting sustainable growth.
Shifting the Mindset
To move away from the self-sabotaging habit of busyness, it’s essential to cultivate a mindset focused on intentional action and self-awareness. Here are some practical steps to help shift your approach:
- Reflect and Identify: Take time to reflect on your daily activities. Are you staying busy to avoid something more significant? Identify areas where busyness serves as a distraction from addressing deeper issues.
- Set Clear Priorities: Define what is truly important for your business. Focus on tasks that align with your long-term vision and delegate or eliminate those that do not contribute meaningfully.
- Embrace Delegation: Understand that you don’t have to do everything yourself. Trust your team and delegate tasks to free up your time for strategic thinking and high-impact activities.
- Practice Mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness practices into your routine to stay present and focused. This can help reduce the anxiety that often drives the need to stay constantly busy.
- Regular Review: Periodically review your goals and progress. This helps ensure that your actions are aligned with your objectives and allows for adjustments as needed.
Being busy is not inherently bad, but when it becomes a form of self-sabotage, it can hinder our ability to achieve true success and fulfilment. By understanding the underlying motivations behind our busyness and adopting some of the strategies discussed in this blog, we can transform our approach to work and life.
