Have you noticed the new status symbol? It is no longer the alligator or the man on top of a horse playing polo. Nor is it the latest German engineered car. The new status symbol lives in the gadgets you use every second. It is on your iphone and your tablet. You even wear it on your ear (Bluetooth headset) with your earrings.
The new status symbol, one that is perceived as an indicator or economic or social standing, is no other than “busy-ness”. Today, it seems that if you are not preoccupied, you are less worthy. It has been accepted and respected that we must be busy or at least look busy. Being busy has become a way of life in today's generation.
We are always on-line (at least during our awake hours). We've learned to do several things at the same time. The screens dominate out lives. Gone are the days of the good old television screen which preoccupied our entertainment time. Today we are looking at multiple screens at the same time. We turn on the television to listen to the news while we are working on our laptop, checking our mobile phone and comparing notes with our Ipad. So, today we look at not just one screen but four screens at any given time. I wonder how many it will be in the next generation.
We believe that technology should lighten our work load; unfortunately the reverse is true. Technology is designed to give us the tools to do more. Technology challenges us to achieve more, to be more active, to be more busy. Because of technology we are the “Busy Generation.”
Because of technology, we think we are successful. Unfortunately that is not how we feel. Because of technology, we achieve more but as we do more, more is expected from us. More power and more speed does not only require us to deliver more but to deliver faster. With this demand, whatever we achieve we will be too busy to enjoy. Technology brings easier and faster communication, resulting to us being digitally connected every moment. We are increasingly tied to a 24-hour global clock.
This brings me to note the huge difference of being busy and being productive. Our addiction to being constantly active and our busyness may in a way try to convince us that we are productive. Caffeinated and energy drinks boost our zombie-like daze but weakens our leadership capabilities. The leader’s job is to bring clarity amidst the chaos of busyness.
It is every leader's goal to stretch their people and bring out their creativity and greatness but this must be done in a way that will not stress their people and lead them to an unhealthy lifestyle of constant daze and bewilderment. Men are not machines; they are not computers. Your people (and you) have families they care for and you would not want them to go home in a zombie-like state of meaningless existence but to go home proud of working for a leader that values her people.
The status symbol of being busy disguises itself to focus and drive you to huge productivity but when you examine your activities it reflects only confusion, anxiety and distrust. Slow down, reflect and clarify issues. Never reward your people (or yourself) for speed and action; rather, reward them for value of performance rendered.
People with a good balance of life activities are more productive and fulfilled. I hope you will productively use your weekend to evaluate and decide to take on the status symbol of productivity rather than busyness.
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