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Better or Busier

January 16, 2018

How are things going?

We’re asked this question a lot, aren’t we? How are things going at work? At school? At church? At home?

“I’m crazy busy right now.” I find myself falling into the trap of giving that answer far too often. It’s not a great answer. In fact, it’s actually a pretty prideful response.

It’s true; I am busy. But that’s not all that I’m saying. Busy can be a code word for success.

Do you ever use the “busy” response as a way to show that you’re “in demand” or really “making things happen”?

We get it. The business is doing really well. Your phone is ringing off the hook with new clients. The line is out the door at your restaurant. Your services are in demand. You have a lot of new people coming to your church. The nonprofit is throwing bigger events and raising more money.

In the US, we’ve turned busyness into a status symbol and a means to prove our worth to other people. Make no mistake, being busy isn’t always a bad thing. If the things we do help us grow, busyness can be a great thing.

But if being busy is becoming our measure of success, let’s make sure we aren’t missing the mark of what really matters. As we dive into 2018, let’s ask this question: “Am I getting better, or am I just getting busier?”

Are we improving the way we serve customers, or are we only putting more pressure on our team members with no true return on investment?

Are we creating the best possible product for our market, or are we wasting time creating too many new products just to say we have them?

Am I filling up my work calendar efficiently, or is my calendar being driven by things that don’t provide long-lasting value?

Is my family participating in intentional activities that bring us closer together, or are we running in so many directions we don’t ever see each other?

Are you volunteering at the nonprofit because you’re passionate about meeting the needs of others, or are you filling up your calendar to get some “service hours” and feel like you did something “good”?

Take an audit of your commitments so far this year. Pinpoint the things you need to take off your plate, and make room for opportunities to grow this year. Being busy isn’t always a bad thing, but being busier doesn’t always mean you’re getting better.

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