Busy? Take a minute to think

June has rocked around as it always does and “busy” is the new “weather” of chats.

How are you? So busy. Can’t believe it’s June already .

In the crush of the busy-blues myself, I went procrastination Googling to see if business owners are busier than anyone else.

Turns out we’re not. But I did find a thing called entrepreneur insomnia.

It’s exactly like insomnia, but made special by putting the word “entrepreneur” in front.

I did find some smug little sayings, “busy is as busy does”, “if you want something done – give it to a busy person”.

“Busy is as busy does”. Thanks, Google, we know we make our own busy.

But whether everyone’s busy is equal or some people’s busy is more equal than others has to be a matter of perspective (obviously not your own though – just ask any project or volunteer co-ordinator).

I’m convinced the “give it to a busy person” saying is only said by reprobates or masochists. Real busy people forget stuff and sometimes forget what they were supposed to do.

Super-efficient, busier-than-other-busy-people – maybe you’re the exceptions.

For the rest of us, the fear of forgetting is real and, come to think of it, most likely responsible for that “entrepreneurial” (or any other kind of) insomnia.

I did find time management advice including strangely animal-focused gems such as “beware the elephants on the horizon” and “how to eat two frogs”.

Those elephants? Apparently, they sneak up on you, like your mother’s 80th birthday that you had all year to organise .. a year ago.

The frogs? Eat the biggest, ugliest first. That way the second will be less awful.

Yes. That’s real advice.

While procrastination Googling might be fun (be honest busy people, you do it, too), I was looking for something simpler and more concrete.

The dictionary says “busy” means one of two things: having a great deal to do, or excessively detailed or decorated.

Hmmm, that sounds a lot like my kind of busy.

So, the wisdom I’m taking is this. “Do less, do less fussing”.

As business owners we’re in charge. Things will crop up, surprises will happen but we choose what we add to our plates (frogs and elephants included).

I wouldn’t give up my day job for a second.

That doesn’t mean I can’t tweak it. Likely so can you.

Why not do that?

Enjoy June.

★ Cara Tipping Smith is the director of The Business Hive.

Source: https://www.oamarumail.co.nz/opinion/busy-take-a-minute-to-think/