Busy is the new lazy
Why your calendar is killing your career
In today's business world, busyness is often mistaken for productivity. We glorify jam-packed schedules, back-to-back meetings, and inboxes that never seem to hit zero. But here’s the truth: being busy isn’t the same as being effective.
But why do we fall into this trap? Sometimes, it’s just the nature of work—we get caught up in the day-to-day and fail to step back. Other times, though, busyness can be a form of avoidance. It can be procrastination in disguise, a way to defer the discomfort of real work—the kind that requires risk, accountability, and vulnerability. If we stay busy enough, we don’t have to ask hard questions or make high-stakes decisions. We don’t have to measure our work against actual results. We can stay in motion without truly progressing.
Fear may also play a role. The fear of failure is obvious, but the fear of success can be just as paralyzing. Achieving something significant raises expectations—our own and others. It forces us to step beyond our comfort zones and confront whether our actions are truly making an impact. Staying busy can provide an escape from that confrontation. It allows us to feel accomplished without the risk that comes with real achievement.
Think of the most successful business leaders—Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos, and Tim Ferriss. They don’t measure their success by how many meetings they take or emails they send. Instead, they focus on high-leverage activities—their ability to think deeply, make strategic decisions, and empower their teams to execute. Buffett famously spends 80% of his day reading and thinking. Bezos prioritizes only a few high-impact decisions daily. Ferriss built his entire philosophy around working less but achieving more.
Contrast that with the average corporate professional, who spends most of their time reacting—responding to emails, attending status updates, and jumping from call to call. The result? Little room for creativity, innovation, or true leadership.
The reality is that busyness has become the new laziness. It’s easier to stay trapped in endless activity than to step back, set clear priorities, and focus on outcomes. It feels productive, but in reality, it’s just motion without progress.
Breaking Free from the Busyness Trap
I’ve seen this firsthand in my own career — and can even still be guilty of it at times. Also, in countless other businesses, based on my more than 400 interviews with business leaders. The leaders and companies that thrive are the ones who shift their focus from activity to impact. They eliminate unnecessary meetings, delegate effectively, and measure success based on results—not hours worked.
But breaking free from this cycle requires a mindset shift. It requires redefining productivity and having the discipline to say no to time-wasting tasks. Most importantly, it demands leaders who set the example and prioritize deep work over shallow busyness.
That’s where Eggs! Podcast alum and business leader Kyle McDowell comes in. Kyle has spent years studying and implementing leadership principles that cut through corporate dysfunction. He’s worked with massive teams and has seen firsthand how the obsession with busyness erodes productivity, engagement, and results. His insights provide a roadmap for leaders and professionals who want to reclaim their time and energy and actually get more done.
Kyle McDowell: The Cure for the Busyness Epidemic
Kyle’s transformative approach, detailed in his bestselling book Begin With WE, emphasizes focusing on outcomes rather than mere activities. He calls out the corporate habit of equating busyness with productivity and advocates for leaders to measure true effectiveness through clear, meaningful results.
Five Hard Truths About Busyness and Productivity
Busyness Isn't Impressive
"I've had very high-paid, important execs rotate their laptop and say, 'Look at my calendar, look how busy I am,' as if I should be impressed. I don't care how busy you are. You have expectations—if you deliver, that's what matters."
The insight: Stop glorifying busyness. Instead of showcasing your packed schedule, track and celebrate your meaningful accomplishments. Shift conversations from “I’m swamped” to “Here’s the impact I made this week.”Activity is Not an Outcome
"I don't care how many hours you work. If you work sixty or six, the real world cares about outcomes."
The insight: Audit your tasks weekly. Identify low-value activities that don’t contribute to actual results and cut them ruthlessly. Focus on tasks that move the needle forward.Busy Culture Breeds Burnout, Not Results
"We get enamored with busyness. But if we focused more on outcomes, we'd have more outcomes to celebrate."
The insight: Implement “deep work” sessions, which are blocks of uninterrupted, focused time on high-impact tasks. Protect these windows by saying no to unnecessary meetings and distractions.Clients Care About Deliverables, Not Your Schedule
"Your client doesn't care how busy you were yesterday. They care about getting the results you promised today."
The insight: Set clear deliverables and deadlines and proactively communicate progress. If issues arise, notify stakeholders early rather than making last-minute excuses.Measure Productivity by Results, Not Meetings
"If you can't draw a straight line from the activity to the objectives you've been assigned, why are you doing it?"
The insight: Before scheduling or attending a meeting, ask: What decision or action will this drive? If there’s no clear answer, reconsider whether it’s needed. Replace status updates with asynchronous communication when possible.
Reclaiming Your Time and Impact
Breaking the cycle of busyness starts with a shift in perspective. Prioritize impactful outcomes over endless tasks. Take control of your calendar by removing unnecessary meetings, calls, and distractions. The path to genuine success isn't cluttered with appointments—it’s clear, deliberate, and outcome-focused. Kyle McDowell offers a transformative roadmap away from the illusion of productivity toward real effectiveness and fulfillment.
Ready to break free from busy and reclaim your career? Start by asking yourself: Is your calendar serving you—or controlling you?
Thanks for reading,
—Ryan
Ready for more?
Catch Kyle McDowell’s interview in its entirety on Eggs! The Podcast.
Don’t miss a show! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or really anywhere great podcasts are found.
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Reading list
If you're looking to dive deeper into the ideas discussed in this piece, here are some recommended books and resources that align with Kyle McDowell's principles:
Begin With WE by Kyle McDowell – A deep dive into leadership principles that build strong, accountable, and results-driven teams.
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss – A radical approach to productivity that challenges the traditional notions of work and busyness.
Deep Work by Cal Newport – A guide to achieving peak productivity by eliminating distractions and focusing on meaningful work.
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown – A framework for cutting through the noise and focusing on what truly matters.
The One Thing by Gary Keller – A strategic approach to prioritizing your most impactful work and eliminating unnecessary distractions.
The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker – A timeless classic on how leaders can maximize their impact by focusing on what truly moves the needle.
More to explore
Website: https://kylemcdowellinc.com
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylemcdowellinc
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