“We’re busy because we are vain and lazy…” that’s a quote from Eugene Peterson, a man who has dedicated a part of his life translating the Bible into a contemporary version called the Message. It would seem that this would keep him pretty busy, and that he could hardly comment on the busyness of another leader, but he does so without apology.
A CEO of a multi-billion dollar firm recently told me he spends between 2 and 4 hours per day thinking and reading. He realizes that one of his most important jobs is to think, observe, ask questions and reflect. His executive assistant’s three most important jobs: 1. Block that time and 2. Make sure he sees the people he needs to see and 3. Ensure that meetings don’t overrun his weeks.
Even in my world of executive coaching, I asked my assistant to make just one change during her year-end performance review: take time to think. Her eyes grew wide when I said that. After all, she works hard to be efficient and to not waste my time. She was surprised that I wanted to pay her to think. I am training her, as I am myself, that reflection time is not wasted time. It may be some of our most valuable work. And I’m finding that It takes more discipline for either of us to stop than it does to just keep going.
How did busyness become the practice of honor even when we know that living in a constant state of busyness causes other areas of life to suffer?
How did busyness become the practice of honor even when we know that living in a constant state of busyness causes other areas of life to suffer?
Consider This
Busyness is less about what you do as a leader and more about the demands of the ego to be perceived as important and accomplished. Busyness is the tyrannical monster demanding to be feed with time, attention and resources.
Falsely, busyness is seen as a rite of passage for those who lead. If you are not very good at what you do then you are not very busy. If you are great at what you do, then you are a rock star rushing from one meeting or appointment to the next with barely a minute to breathe all day.
Upon further exploration, busyness is a chronic, unhealthy condition that society overlooks. The treacherous ways of constantly maxing out your time and attention come at a cost that’s often too high to pay.
Busyness promises to make you important, get you more money and put you ahead of the pack. Those seem like a good promises, right? But, it also promises to steal your sleep and your leisure time. It can weaken your relationships, drain your joy and put unnecessary pressure on your heart.
An Example
Mark and Kate started a sign company in their small town as a way to create jobs for themselves and to provide a service that the community needed. They never expected the company to grow to nine employees and contracts with most of the major companies in the area. For nearly a year Mark complained of having different aches and pains in his body. He was short of breath, had some indigestion issues and mostly just didn’t feel well. He turned down the repeated suggestions from his wife and staff to go see the doctor. He was busy. Finally, his discomfort got the best of him and he made an appointment to see the doctor. That day, they sent him from the doctor’s office to the hospital to surgery. All the major arteries in his heart were blocked. It is a complete miracle that he survived the surgery and is alive to this day.
Is it true that busy leaders are vain and lazy? Peterson explains that leaders often overlook the most important things in life like true and meaningful connection and deliberate self-care to do the things that require less effort. Being on the go has a way of defining you and giving you a feeling of importance. However, it may define you right to the grave. Then, who will live in your home, enjoy the things you worked for and cherish your family?
Who?
Just because work can be a grind, it does not have to be the thing that grinds you into the ground.
I almost want to stop myself from hitting this so hard and tell you that I’m sorry…but I’m not sorry. I’m concerned.
Too many brilliant leaders have been wiped out by something that was completely in their control. And, in the end it was not worth it. The time to look this demanding busy monster in the eye is right now, before tragedy strikes, before integrity is compromised, before your spirit shrinks, before the kids leave home, before the marriage breaks, before you lose all of your friends and most meaningful relationships.
The time to look this demanding busy monster in the eye is right now… Your work is important but your life and your purpose is infinitely more important.
Your work is important but your life and your purpose is infinitely more important.
Vanity is: Excessive pride in one’s appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Valor is: Strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness, personal bravery. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Which one can you relate to?
It takes bravery and strength of mind to stop the habit of being mindlessly busy and allowing the high- speed treadmill to put your life in danger.
Eugene Peterson wasn’t trying to insult busy leaders, his aim was to inspire, remind and support them in honoring their true value and living connected, meaningful lives.
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