So I have written several blogs about this but every agency I go to I have the same exact conversation. It’s like the APP version of Groundhog Day. The word busy is a word that just simply has to go. We are surrounded by it at work, church, family and friends. Busy, busy, busy; like little bees. Personally, it’s a terrible word that I have just stopped using all together for the following reasons:
- Personally I’d rather be busy than bored.
- I don’t remember a day in my adult life I wasn’t busy so I’ve accepted it as part of life.
- I actually want to be productive, not busy.
- If I wasn’t busy, as a business owner, I’d be worried.
- My busy, just like my definition of good service, is different than yours. So it’s not an accurate measuring stick.
I’ve actually put swear jars in agencies; it’s a buck in the jar when you use the word busy. I talked to my mother the other day and she was so busy ironing cloths to pack for vacation… really it all gets wrinkled anyway! Now to a person who owns two businesses, runs a condo association, travels across the country 2-3 nights per week, is married to a husband with a business, owns a dog then being home ironing your cloths for vacation sounds like a vacation. But needless to say, she’s still busy, busy, busy.
Now, as a real example in the agency world, I have worked with agencies who have acquired other agencies. Looking at the customer count per Account Manager, the acquired agency was handling half the clients and you would have thought they were chained to their desks all day with back breaking work. The bottom line is this, as an employer myself, busy is BS. I don’t want busy team members, I want productive ones.
Busy tells me the following:
- You’re not effective at managing your time.
- What are you busy doing? I can help prioritize you.
- What’s your plan to get caught up? Do you have one?
- If I hired another person, how would that help you?
- If you leave at 5PM on the dot, I know you’re not busy.
- Busy tells me this is my priority but not your priority.
Busy in the world is also as infectious as the common cold. Once one person says it, everyone else chimes in.
So let’s get rid of the word busy and use productive. Let’s come up with plans to overcome challenges and get ahead.
