Comments on: Please stop telling me how busy you are

By: The art of delegation: Perspectives from Academia | Arthropod Ecology

The art of delegation: Perspectives from Academia | Arthropod Ecology — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 13:27:34 +0000

[…] administration. From a personal perspective, I am far busier now than I have ever been in the past (but I try not to complain about it). Good time management skills are not enough to get everything done. What’s needed is an […]

By: Chris Buddle

Chris Buddle — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 10:55:00 +0000

Thanks for the comment Andrew – yes, I agree -the reasons for the statements are varied, but the end result is the same. I should say, however, that sometimes a ‘how busy’ discussion is about shared misery. I think there is certainly a time and place to laugh and commiserate about frantic lives.

By: Andrew Cox

Andrew Cox — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 03:18:16 +0000

I find “I am busy” comments to be low information statements. Some people say it because they are truly busy and really cannot attend to something new. Others say it because they think they are truly busy but that’s only because they are trying to fit 40 hours of work into a 30 hour work week. Others say it just to fend you off. I’m not sure what my point is, but I’m with you – not a fan when I hear people say it.

By: Chris Buddle

Chris Buddle — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 17:39:34 +0000

Chris – thanks for the comment and great point: It’s baffling to me, also, that some folks complain about stuff they volunteered to do! Sheesh. Now… if only I could follow my own advice…

By: Chris Buddle

Chris Buddle — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 17:38:13 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Terry! Indeed – I personally love being busy. I’m happier when I’m busy. I say yes to a lot of things because it’s part of who I am. However…as you state: the KEY is balance.

By: Chris MacQuarrie (@CMacQuar)

Chris MacQuarrie (@CMacQuar) — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 16:46:41 +0000

Great post. I’ve often wondered at this attitude, especially among those that I know have voluntarily taken on much of what is making them busy. I have yet to understand if it’s a reluctance to say ‘no’, a desire to be in on the action (what ever that may be), or a pathology where they decide they’re the only one that can do a job. Regardless, I often struggle to feel sorry for someone who’s put themselves in the situation.

I too am busy, maybe to much so sometimes, but that’s the way I like it. It would seem strange to complain about being in a place I want to be,.

By: Terry McGlynn

Terry McGlynn — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 16:17:43 +0000

This is important to advertise this idea. Thanks, Chris. The one-upsmanship about how busy people are is tiresome.

Always having something to do is not a bad thing. The key is to be the master over what that ‘something’ is, and to do it in a way that is positive for everybody. We all have the same amount of time, and being conscious about its allocation on a minute-to-minute basis doesn’t just communicate our priorities, but structures our happiness.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 13:06:20 +0000

Yes–the biggest use was giving me a framework I could use to get my “stuff” organized. And stop hanging on to things just in case, which built up a big pile of things that I could stress out about ;p

By: Chris Buddle

Chris Buddle — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 12:10:28 +0000

Yes, I have read that productivity book, and tried to model some things after it. It’s really about finding a system that works for you. And, most importantly, sticking to that system. Thanks for the comment & thoughts. Awesome. (oh, I I like flow charts)

By: Bug Girl

Bug Girl — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 12:06:39 +0000

If you haven’t already discovered GTD, it’s a great system for making space to think and slow down. http://ais.informatik.uni-freiburg.de/teaching/ws10/praktikum/gtd-basics.pdf A good PDF overview that leaves out a lot of the extras in the book. With LOTS of flow charts ;p