Post # 31 - How I Stopped Chasing Busywork and Started Doing Real Work

Posted under: Career & Purpose | The Full Life Edit

For years, I thought productivity meant busyness. If I was answering emails late into the night, attending back-to-back meetings, and crossing small tasks off my list all day long, I felt accomplished. My days looked full, but inside, I felt empty.

The truth was, I wasn’t doing meaningful work — I was drowning in busywork. And busywork, no matter how much of it you complete, doesn’t lead to fulfillment.

🧩 What Busywork Looked Like for Me

Busywork sneaks in because it feels productive. For me, it looked like:

• Answering every email the second it arrived.
• Attending meetings without a clear purpose.
• Perfecting slides or reports no one would remember in a week.
• Saying yes to “urgent” requests that didn’t matter in the long run.
• Starting new projects before finishing old ones.

Each task gave me a quick hit of accomplishment — but at the end of the day, I still wondered, what did I really move forward?

🛑 The Wake-Up Call

I knew something had to change when I looked at my calendar and realized it was crammed with meetings and tasks — but none of them reflected the goals I actually cared about.

I wasn’t building anything lasting. I was just spinning plates, terrified to let any of them fall.

That’s when I started asking myself a new question: Am I chasing busywork, or doing real work?

🌿 The Difference Between Busywork and Real Work

Busywork:

• Urgent but not important.
• Keeps you in motion but not in progress.
• Looks productive from the outside, but drains you inside.

Real Work:

• Moves you closer to your values and long-term goals.
• Feels harder at first but pays off deeply.
• Requires focus, courage, and sometimes saying “no.”

Once I learned the difference, I realized I was spending most of my time on the first — and only scraps on the second.

✨ How I Made the Shift

1. I started protecting focus time.

I blocked out a few hours each week for “deep work” — no email, no meetings, just the projects that mattered most. At first, I felt guilty, but I soon noticed how much more progress I made in those hours than in entire days of multitasking.

2. I practiced saying no.

Not every request is mine to carry. I began asking: “Does this align with my priorities?” If not, I gently declined or delegated. Hard at first — liberating later.

3. I redefined productivity.

Instead of counting how many tasks I finished, I measured progress by impact. Did today move the needle on something that matters?

4. I set clearer goals.

It’s easier to spot busywork when you know your destination. I wrote down what mattered most in my work and life for the season I was in. Then I asked: does this task get me closer, or just keep me spinning?

5. I built in reflection.

Once a week, I review: What did I spend time on? What actually mattered? Reflection keeps me honest about slipping back into old patterns.

🧠 What Changed

Since editing out busywork, I’ve noticed:

• More energy. Work no longer feels like a hamster wheel.
• More confidence. I can see tangible progress instead of drowning in tasks.
• More alignment. My days reflect my values, not just other people’s requests.
• More peace. I end days tired but satisfied, not tired and resentful.

It’s not perfect — busywork still sneaks in. But I catch it faster now.

🌸 Why This Matters Beyond Work

This shift has spilled into other areas of life, too. I ask myself:

• Am I filling my calendar with events I don’t enjoy just to look social?
• Am I scrolling for hours instead of investing in hobbies or rest?
• Am I choosing what matters to me, or what looks good from the outside?

By cutting out busywork, I’ve gained more space — not just for career growth, but for a full life.

🌿 A Gentle Invitation

If you’ve been busy but unfulfilled, maybe it’s time for your own audit. Take one day and ask yourself:

• What tasks drained me without moving me forward?
• What tasks lit me up or made me feel proud?
• How can I trade more of the first for more of the second?

Busy doesn’t always mean meaningful. Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is step back, clear the noise, and choose the work — and life — that matters.

💬 Tell me: Have you ever caught yourself chasing busywork? What helped you shift toward real work? Share in the comments — I’d love to hear.

– M.E