Why “Busy” Is Breaking Us (And What You Can Do About It)
Not too long ago, I got really curious:
What values actually contribute to a meaningful, high-quality life? Getting to the end of your day feeling satisfied?
So, I surveyed over 12,000 people.
What I discovered didn’t just surprise me—it changed the entire direction of my work and led to my book, Beyond Busyness: Achieve More By Doing Less.
Through that research, I uncovered four essential values that are consistently present in people who live rich, fulfilling lives:
1. Energy Management
2. Growth
3. Human Connection
4. Authenticity
And yet, despite knowing what matters most… Most of us are stuck in a loop of just trying to survive the day.
The Busy Epidemic
It all started when I noticed something strange.
Every time I asked friends or colleagues how they were doing, I got the same one-word answer: “Busy.”
I’m a data-driven person. I believe that to understand something, we need to measure it. So I started counting. And when 94% of people I spoke with answered "busy," I knew something was wrong.
I hired a research firm to run a formal survey across a wide range of people—young and old, single and married, working and unemployed.
Even in a more controlled environment, 94 said they were “busy” or “very busy.” And most of them didn’t want to be.
Two-thirds said they were “surviving, not thriving.”
74% were experiencing burnout.
64% said self-care was a challenge.
More than half couldn’t even remember the last time they had a full night of sleep.
43% struggled with focus.
60% were at least partly unhappy.
And nearly 70% said they needed to improve their level of happiness.
But here’s the kicker:
86% believed that happiness brings important benefits.
We know what we need… but we’re too busy to pursue it.
Busyness Addiction Is Real (And Dangerous)
I know this not just from data—but from experience.
I was addicted to being busy. And, like most addicts, I didn’t realize it until the damage was already done.
I wore my overbooked calendar like a badge of honor. I thought I was productive. I thought I was successful.
In reality, I was burned out, disconnected, unhealthy, and deeply unhappy.
Busyness wasn’t just a bad habit—it was a way of life that was breaking me down mentally, emotionally, physically, and relationally.
And I’m not alone. Based on my research, our culture is hooked on busy.
But here’s the thing—there’s no Busyness Anonymous.
If I wanted to get better, I had to create my own Busy-Busting Process.
Beyond Busyness—The Busy-Busting Process
That Busy-Busting Process became the foundation of my book:
Beyond Busyness: Achieve More By Doing Less.
It’s a practical, tested system that has already helped thousands of people (including myself) reclaim their time, realign their values, and rediscover joy.
Because here’s the truth:
“We won’t save our lives by shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic.”
To truly break free from busyness, you have to confront the real cost—not just the obvious wreckage like burnout or missed milestones, but the quiet damage in the background:
The missed connections.
The lack of creativity.
The slow erosion of passion.
The constant low-grade stress that exhausts and numbs us.
And then, you have to take committed action.