Where is Everybody and What Are They So Busy Doing?

I’m a straight head on guy, by most accounts. I see a problem, or a goal and I try to rationalize the fastest and most accurate way to go from point A to B. So, I’m not one for waiting and waiting around while others make me wait weeks, months, and sometimes even longer for an answer that could come much quicker if they only put some effort and attention to the situation.

I understand corporate structures, understand hierarchy and layers of management but what I often wonder is how these companies can be as successful as they are, when it seems they can’t make a decision. After all there are basically three answers: yes, no or maybe but we need to work on …. Which has led me to ask myself, “what is everyone so busy doing, when it seems quite often that nothing is really getting done”? And after much deliberation I think I know the answer.

• #1: First, it’s a multi-tiered answer. Some folks are extremely busy because their companies cannot find enough additional qualified staff or they have determined that they can make bigger profits, with less people and that their customers or partners will just have to wait for their answer, whether it’s a valid situation or not. That’s probably 35 – 40%.

• #2: I believe many have more people working but getting much less work done every day. For example: I must be propositioned by 100+ lead gen companies every year, pushing their wares. In reality, there are only a handful of different wares in that industry, so we have too many pushing too little! This accounts for 10 – 15%.

• #3: Social media. That’s right, I said it, social media. How many of us spend an hour, two or four hours every day looking at our FB, Twitter, LI, TikTok and a slew of other sites several times each day, convincing ourselves that this is work, since we’re looking at it at work. Sure, some truly use this as a tool to find leads, make connections, and look for their industry information. But I’m going to push this one to 20%.

• #4: Clutter comes in at number four. Clutter in the inbox. Personally, I receive 250 – 300 emails each and everyday of the week. I don’t even know most of these people, but everyone has a seminar, a webinar or a calendar they want me to make an appointment on. If I agreed to 10% of these offers, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything, unless I gave up sleep. Just to weed through all the emails the lead gen folks post in my inbox is ridiculous. I’m going to say this category chimes in at 10- 15%.

• #5: Laziness! Yep, #5 is laziness, which I expect will increase within the next two or three years as more folks work from home. I know, I hear it every day. “I work longer than I did when I was in the office”. Maybe so, but just because you work until 7 PM at home and only worked until 5 PM in the office, are you really working longer, or are you taking more time out of your day to walk your dog, take a long lunch, binge watch a show during business hours and then returning to work later to attempt to make up your lost time? I’m betting working longer doesn’t necessarily mean accomplishing more. Let’s be honest, some people are extremely regimented and adhere to self-imposed standards of conduct, but many of us aren’t. I’m going to bank this one in at 15 – 20%.

• #6: My sixth reason is collaboration and teamwork or the lack of it any longer. I can’t tell you how many times I watch companies no longer communicate well amongst themselves. And I’m not talking only about small companies. In fact, in many cases it seems the larger they are, the less the left hand knows what the right hand is doing. Let’s give this one 10%.

• #7: My final reason is workload. While we have tons of tech to help us expedite our tasks, these tech tools take time to learn, master and use. Compound that many folks working less hard than they did in the past, getting less done in a shorter period but truly convincing themselves they are busier. Again, they may be truly busier but are they truly more productive? I’m sure some are but I’m equally as sure, many are not. With that said, I’ll say that rounds out the balance of the percentages still laying on the table.

So, there you have it. I just answered my own question. Where is everyone and what are they doing? 40% are working harder than they should and can’t get to all their work and produce fast and concise answers, while 60% aren’t working efficiently enough!