“Wow, what a day. I know I’ve been busy all day… but what did I actually get done or achieve?”

Sounds familiar? You’re not alone.

It’s that sinking moment at the end of a crazy day — when your calendar was full, your inbox overflowing, everyone wanted something from you,  and you barely had time to breathe… but still, you can’t pinpoint what you completed or achieved. It’s exhausting. It’s deflating. And over time, it chips away at our motivation, confidence, and sense of purpose. We start to feel like we’re running hard just to stand still.

That’s the hidden cost of busy work — and it’s more common than you think.

What is Busy Work?

Busy work refers to tasks that feel productive but does not move the needle.

They often:

• Looks good on a to-do list

• Give the illusion of progress

• Satisfies other people’s needs

• Keep us occupied rather than effective

  
  

It’s over-checking emails, perfecting formatting, attending meetings without purpose, saying yes to everyone that stops by with a question, or reacting to every ping instead of focusing on priority outcomes.

How Busy Work Affects Us

On a personal level

Busy work is exhausting. It eats up your energy and focus, and by the end of the day, you’re left wondering why you’re so tired but don’t feel any closer to your goals. It can chip away at your motivation, make you feel out of control, and leave little time or headspace for the truly meaningful work that brings a sense of progress, pride and purpose.

In teams

When everyone’s bogged down in busy work, teamwork suffers. People work in silos, priorities blur, and efforts overlap or miss the mark altogether. Instead of pulling together in the same direction, the team reacts to whatever's shouting the loudest. This creates noise, not clarity.

Across the organisation

Busy work on a bigger scale becomes even more costly. All that energy and movement doesn’t necessarily lead to progress. Projects stall, targets slip, and even the most capable people can lose sight of what really matters. It’s not about a lack of effort — it’s that the effort isn’t always going where it counts.

So, What Can You Do About It?

The answer isn’t about pushing harder or squeezing more into your day — it’s about getting clear on what actually matters. The first step? Just stop and think before jumping on the old treadmill and reacting.

Start by asking yourself:

• “Is this task actually helping me move something important forward?”

• “Am I doing this out of habit, or because it really needs to be done?”

• “Is what I am about to do, what I should be doing? “

• “Is what they are asking me to do, more important than what II had planned

• “What would happen if I didn’t do this at all?”

  
  

It can also help to pause before saying yes to every request, or before diving into that next task. Take a breath, step back, and check in with your priorities — both your own and your team’s. It's as simple as pausing before diving on in.

When you start being more intentional with your time and energy, something shifts. You feel more in control. The overwhelm eases. And suddenly, your day has space for the work that really counts, and you end your day feeling a sense of achievement, motivated and ready for tomorrow with a sense of purpose.

A Better Way Forward

If you’re feeling stuck in the busy — but craving more clarity, more control, and more real progress — you’re not alone. And the good news? You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

There are practical tools and programs out there that can help you reset how you work, refocus on what really matters, and make sure your effort leads to outcomes that count, and replace that deflating feeling with the "WOW - what a great day!" at the end of the day.

We use one every day. It's called PEP.

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