Do you ever notice how no matter how much time you’ve got for something, work just seems to magically fill it up? It’s like the universe has this rule that work expands to fit whatever time you give it. You might think, “Oh, I’ll finish this project in two hours,” but then suddenly it takes the entire day. It’s wild! And it’s not just you. This phenomenon, known as Parkinson’s Law, basically means that if you give yourself a week to do something, you’ll probably take a week, even if you could’ve done it in a day. So, the lesson here is to be mindful of how you allocate your time and don’t let work expand to consume your whole life. Set boundaries and stick to ’em!
In our modern culture, busyness is often equated with success and dedication. We’ve all been there – drowning in tasks, wearing our busyness like a badge of honor. But is being constantly busy truly the hallmark of effective leadership? Arthur C. Brooks challenges this notion in his recent article, How to be less busy and more happy, highlighting that busyness doesn’t necessarily correlate with effectiveness or happiness. Research has also found that while busy individuals may demonstrate certain cognitive advantages, the direction of causation is unclear. “High performers at work may simply be people who make themselves busier, and they would be just as effective and able if they thinned out their schedule in an effort to be happier.” If your employees (or you!) are hiding in the busyness, here are some things you might want to try:
- Lead by Example: Lunch is not for wimps. Take breaks, encourage your team to do the same, and create a work environment that prioritizes well-being.
- Embrace Effective Delegation: You’re not a one-person show and you can’t do it all. Identify tasks that others can handle and pass them along.
- Accept Prioritization Realities: While it’s easy to prioritize, it’s harder to accept that low-priority tasks may not get done. Mastering this acceptance allows you to focus on quality over quantity.
By breaking free from the busy trap, we’re not just bettering ourselves, we’re setting the stage for impactful leadership, team happiness, and collective success. Did you know that HAVEN dedicates an entire leadership development module to focus and prioritization? Reach out if we can be helpful as you continue on the path of igniting exceptional performance at your company.
The HAVEN Team
