The Four Letter Word Killing Your Business

There are a lot of four letter words that come to your mind when you're the boss. Cost, time, sale, call, and fame, just to name a few. But there is one four letter word that is actually killing your business: busy.

You’re probably thinking that's not the four letter word you thought, but let me explain.

Once, being busy meant being productive and making money. Now, being busy is a four letter word actually burning out most entrepreneurs and causing businesses to fail.

As the boss you are responsible for many things, and saying the word busy, acting busy, or even thinking busy has become the norm. Sometimes we don't even comprehend that we are so busy or that we are using the word until someone points it out and says “Wow, you seem so busy.”

Then we wear the busy badge of honor, like we conquered something no one else could. Meanwhile, inside we are exhausted and spinning our wheels.

It's time to stop using the the word busy.

Look at how often and why you use the word busy each day. Are you using busy to avoid confrontations? Maybe you are using the word busy to ward off demands...

“I’m busy. Is that something you can do?”

Perhaps you are saying you are too busy, so you procrastinate making a decision on something. “I'm busy right now, let me get back to you.” The key is to not stop and think about a task or to delegate it to someone qualified. The key is to change the way we look at being busy and how we use the word. Try not to use the word at all and see how it starts to change your point of view. Then, stop acting busy and stop demanding others to be busy.

I own two companies and I know there is a lot of work to be done, but I am never busy. How is that possible? Well, I stopped using the word and then stopped showing off all the “busy” work I do. In fact, if anything, I’ve gone totally the other way and people never see me busy.

Working hard, yes, but not too busy for them or so busy that I’m spinning my wheels.

This not only makes me feel better and much more productive, it also creates a better relationship with the people in my life. Then,  I started letting others not be busy. After all, if I was not using the word and not wearing my busy badge, why should they?

However, I did end up noticing that I have different types of busy people in my life.

I have family, friends, colleagues, staff, and mentors, to name a few. I found, however, that these two principles apply to everyone when it comes to letting others not be busy.

Accept that people have their own thoughts on what busy means.

What is busy to one person might not be the same for someone else. Once we accept this, we can let go of judging how busy someone is.

Be flexible and willing to make adjustments.

No one will be perfect and everyone will go through changes in their life. Be flexible and make adjustments with others when schedules or circumstances change.

As you start to remove the word busy, let yourself and others not be busy as you open up a space that will be more rewarding and more fulfilling than you ever imagined.

The day of procrastination, burnout, and frustration will be replaced with you doing more of what you love surrounded by the people you love.

So how often do you use this four letter word? How do you feel about the two principles I’ve shared?

Comment below now!

Because You're Worth It!