There has been much written about the differences between being productive (getting results) and the appearance of being busy (engaged in many pointless activities). We are all conditioned to equating being busy, with being productive. It's a superficial, if not false assumption, similar in nature and argument to the difference between being efficient or effective, but with a steeper downside.
Truly productive people can look back over a year, month, week, or even a day and identify what they've accomplished - not with time spent, but time invested in their accomplishments.
It's not that those who claim to be constantly busy are intentionally misleading others with their "fake" busy work (i.e., work that makes it seem like one is actually being productive, but with no real results). We all know people who are more concerned with the illusion of being busy (and the positive message it sends to others) than they are with actually being productive.
It's not that those who claim to be constantly busy are intentionally misleading others with their "fake" busy work (i.e., work that makes it seem like one is actually being productive, but with no real results). We all know people who are more concerned with the illusion of being busy (and the positive message it sends to others) than they are with actually being productive.
Employees are usually the busiest, and least productive.
How can they not be? Two of the greatest contributing factors that lead to the undertaking of fake busy work are 1) lack of clarity on what matters most, and 2) lack of focus on what the needs of the moment are right now.
Employees get paid to "do work" for 8 hours of their time, not for being productive for 8 hours. Lack of productivity by employees is only partially their fault. Few companies make what employees should accomplish daily clear to them, or what the bigger picture is in the context of why they do what they do for the company.
In this complacent work culture, clock watchers can "earn" a living for years without becoming adept at being productive workers, but become quite proficient at "looking busy" or doing fake busy work.
Employees get paid to "do work" for 8 hours of their time, not for being productive for 8 hours. Lack of productivity by employees is only partially their fault. Few companies make what employees should accomplish daily clear to them, or what the bigger picture is in the context of why they do what they do for the company.
In this complacent work culture, clock watchers can "earn" a living for years without becoming adept at being productive workers, but become quite proficient at "looking busy" or doing fake busy work.
Busy work passes the time; productive work makes good use of time. Busy work is mindless; productive work is mindful. Busy work gets you through the day; productive work seizes the day.
Remember, being busy = being productive.
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