Do you find yourself busy a lot? When people ask how you are, is your natural response to say…
“I’m good. Just very busy!”
If you do then today I’m going to invite you to create a reframe in your mind around this surprisingly disempowering statement.
Language Matters
Much of our language comes from belief systems that we hold about how things should be.
One of those beliefs is that we must be busy if we’re doing meaningful, valuable work.
One of those beliefs is that we must be busy if we’re doing meaningful, valuable work.
However, a self-defeating phenomenon begins to occur when we say we’re busy. The underlying belief in those words is that we don’t have control over our time.
There’s a sense of helplessness and powerlessness that is implied in the statement.
Have you ever noticed that when someone says they’re busy, they sport a defeated expression on their face? Do they look in charge, in their power, confident?
No.
They look like a victim of their circumstances.
True leaders aren’t helpless, powerless victims. They take full ownership of their choices, their words and their actions.
So today’s invitation is to try out new language around your time choices.
Next time you want to say “I am busy”, replace it with
“I am prioritizing..”
For example, replace
“I’m busy answering emails.”
with
“I am prioritizing answering emails”
“I am prioritizing answering emails”
“I’m busy working on the software project”
with
“I am prioritizing working on the software project”
“I am busy with X event’s volunteer work.”
with
“I am prioritizing X event’s volunteer work”
So what happens when we change the language around our time choices?
First, by saying “I am prioritizing” we start to take our power back. These tasks are not happening to us, instead they become tasks that are happening by us. We are choosing to answer emails, or to work on the project or to volunteer at the event. Whatever the task, there’s an empowering energy to the words “I am prioritizing”.
Second, this conscious choice of words enables us to take a good, realistic look at what we ARE indeed prioritizing. This becomes an exercise in self awareness, forcing us to look at whether our values and long term goals are in alignment with our daily priorities. Are these short term priorities in alignment with your long-term goals and desires? If they’re not, you can reflect and course-correct if needed. If they are then you can keep going feeling confident and grounded in our values and choices.
What are your thoughts about this reframe? What are you prioritizing as a result today and this week?
What are your thoughts about this reframe? What are you prioritizing as a result today and this week?