A man followed a swerving driver who admitted to being drunk and contacted the police. However, when the police called back two hours later, they said they were too busy to intervene. This phrase about being too busy got the author thinking about how often we use that same excuse. The article then provides tips for staying organized when feeling busy, such as setting goals, making lists, delegating tasks, focusing on one task at a time, and knowing when to say no. The key message is that being perpetually busy can be detrimental, so making small changes to manage time better is important for productivity and well-being.

2. This recent story in the news caught my
attention…
• A man followed a
swerving driver and
filmed her admitting she
was drunk.
• Police told him to stay
with the woman and
take her car keys.
• But the officers called
after two hours to say
they were ‘too busy’ to
intervene.

3. I won’t get into the many
complex issues
surrounding police
resources, but that phrase
‘too busy’ did get me
thinking.

4. How many times have we used
that excuse ourselves?
It is often perfectly valid; we all find
ourselves very busy at times, and it can
affect our performance at work.

6. Stay organised
• In our states of
busyness, we can
become overwhelmed.
• Having too much to do
and not knowing where
to start can often result
in just doing nothing at
all.
• This is why organisation
is so important.

7. • Plan your week by setting 3-5 goals with clear KPIs against them
that you need to achieve in order to be successful that week.
• Then plan smaller tasks daily.
• Write down everything you have to do, and use diary reminders.
Plan

8. Lists
You may feel like you’re too busy to even write a list of tasks, but
taking that time will save you stress and panic in the long run.
When you’re feeling listless, make a list.

9. Delegate
As a business owner or manager, it’s very important to delegate smaller
tasks that we don’t particularly need to be doing.
It may seem easier to do certain tasks yourself rather than explaining it
to someone else, but once you do take that time to delegate a task or
process, you will have offloaded it for good.

10. Delegate
To help you decide what to delegate, think about the value you add and
enjoyment you get from each task.
Low value
tasks = delegation.
Low value and low
enjoyment tasks
= definite delegation!

11. Whether it’s saying no to attending a meeting that you
know won’t be beneficial to either party or a task that has
a deadline you know you can’t hit, don’t be afraid to
express your concerns
Don’t be scared to say no

12. But don’t simply use the ‘I’m too
busy’ excuse
• Talk through your reasons why you don’t think you need to attend this
meeting, or why so-and-so would be better suited at completing the
task.
• Politely saying no, and giving a valid reason also prevents more an
more tasks coming your way.

13. Focus on one thing at a time
• We are all guilty of jumping between tasks because we think it’ll help
us get chunks of each done quicker.
• In reality, multitasking is rarely the answer. It makes us feel busier and
confused about what we’re doing.

14. Focus on one thing at a time
• Set time to focus on each task and take a couple of minutes to think
between each one, so as not to jump straight into something
completely different.
• Make a drink or take a couple of minutes to get some fresh air in
between tasks so your head will be clear and ready for the next job
when you come back to your desk.

15. Focus on one thing at a time
• Consider shutting down email while working on a focus
task, and considering where you work.
• Will you be distracted if you’re surrounded by others?

16. Being ‘too busy’ ultimately
has a negative impact on
your performance at work
and your general well-being.
By making small changes,
you can manage your
busyness and make it
productive, instead of
overwhelming.
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