The rotten cult of busy-ness (part 2 of 2: some solutions)

In the first part of this series, I wrote about how busyness in the cultural sector isn’t just about diaries that are too full. It’s about structural overload, cultural expectations, and individual patterns that all reinforce each other.

Since publishing that piece, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the conversation it’s sparked, including a thoughtful comment (from Baker Richard's David Reece) that added a deeper layer: what if our constant busyness isn’t just an operational problem, but an ideological one?

What if this relentless state of urgency is actually the system working as designed? As David put it, we’ve elevated the individual above all else, internalised structural problems as personal failures, and turned reflection into a luxury we feel guilty for wanting.

This second part of the series offers some practical ways to push back but with that bigger picture in mind. These aren't fixes for a broken calendar. They’re small ways to perhaps resist a much larger erosion of space, clarity, and care in our work.

Let me start by saying I recognise that these 'solutions' may not feel immediately realistic.

I remember the first time I read Cal Newport's book Deep Work my overriding reaction was "very nice, but it'll never work in my reality".

On reflection, this was probably an example of the uniqueness bias in action.

And I often see a version of this bias in action when organisations reach for a reason why something 'won't work for them'.

"most leaders tend to view their organization as being unique. This also makes them often think they have little or nothing to learn from other, more progressive organizations.

The problem with this bias is that we tend to exaggerate how special we are. That is, we can all probably think of something that makes us and others special—no matter how "similar" we are."

Shattering the Illusion of Uniqueness Bias in Leadership - Blog

“We are too small.” “We are too big.” “We are in retail.” “We are in health care.” “We are a non-profit.” “We are in highly regulated industry.” In…

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My (very direct) Polish therapist once said, "you are as busy as you allow yourself to become".

That line stuck with me although, on reflection, I don't think that busyness is just a personal choice (conscious or unconscious). It’s shaped by power, expectations, culture, systems, and stories about what makes us valuable.

But even within those constraints, how we respond matters, we are not entirely powerless. In fact how we respond is perhaps the only thing we truly do have power over.

So "what you water, grows" still feels true so long as we recognise that the soil we’re working with is often hostile to reflection, stillness, or saying no (I think I stretched that metaphor to breaking point there...).

If you are always busy, then that will probably become (what feels like) a somewhat fixed pattern, because of the structural and cultural reasons I mentioned in my last post.

But, there are probably also solutions to this problem already out there in the world, you just have to allow yourself to properly consider them and not dismiss them outright.

So, in the spirit of making constructive proposals, here are some ideas that might help shift the culture of busyness where you are.

What if we tried doing things differently?

No one can dismantle systemic overwork overnight but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless.

Small experiments can create big impacts, or demonstrate a potential path forward.

What follows isn’t a checklist or an instruction manual, it’s a set of ideas, suggestions and provocations about low-cost shifts that individuals and teams have tried, suggested, or studied.

These aren’t productivity tips. They’re small, practical acts of resistance against the idea that visibility equals value, that reflection is a waste of time, or that care and thought must always come second to a focus on reactivity and doing.

If the first part of this series was a diagnosis of how systems, expectations, and habits push us toward shallow, overloaded work, then this second part is about reclaiming small pockets of space, time, and clarity. Not as a fix-all, but as a way to protect what matters, push back against burnout, and, sometimes - maybe (hopefully), rediscover a sense of purpose or even joy in the work.

They won’t all work everywhere. But they’re all rooted in the same idea: that space, reflection, and intentionality aren’t luxuries. They’re what enable us to do the work that really matters.

Protect time to think and treat it as 'real work'

Leadership advisor Nate Anglin recommends regular “think time” : a 90-minute block each week, ringfenced purely for strategic reflection. No emails. No firefighting. Just a protected space to think about constraints and challenges, explore ideas, and ask better questions.

As Bob said in the conversation about this over on Linkedin, "realising that taking an hour out of my day to quietly read a whole report, or to think about a problem or project was not in fact taking an hour out of my day, but actually working - was a game changer."

Why it matters: It’s easy to treat thinking as something we’ll get around to when the real work is done. But often thinking is the real work, especially for those leading others.

Try: Block out 90 minutes every week for the next four weeks, visibly in your calendar, and make it non-negotiable. Use it to step back from the to-do list and ask: what’s the real problem I’m solving?

Normalise naming our trade-offs

At Wrike, a work management product, a team leader recognized that their team was overwhelmed with too many Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). "Team members explicitly state that they’re torn between too many activities, with each of them highlighted as “critical” by the leadership"

To address this, they made a conscious decision to deprioritise certain initiatives, allowing the team to focus on the most impactful goals. This intentional trade-off led to improved clarity, reduced stress, and better overall performance.

Consultant Kate Wafer said, "in Covid many organisations started talking about 'doing less, better' but we seem to have lost sight of that completely. The messaging around stopping doing anything is difficult, but maybe there's an argument for things that no longer serve being quietly dropped?"

Why it matters: Naming trade-offs pushes back on the illusion that we can do everything and opens the door to more honest conversations about priorities and capacity.

Try: When taking on new work, ask: “What are we deprioritising or stopping to create space for this?" Make this visible and shared.

Treat delegation as a collective practice

Delegation is often seen as a top-down act: a leader assigning tasks. But in collaborative organisations like those in the cultural sector, it’s really about redistributing ownership, clarifying responsibilities, building trust, and identifying limits.

As I mentioned in the last article, we often tell ourselves: “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done right,” or “It’s quicker to just do it myself.” But this mindset fuels burnout and creates bottlenecks. It also creates invisible dependencies and robs others of the chance to grow, contribute, and lead themselves. It keeps teams stuck in the 'forming' phase of maturity.

Leadership expert Liz Wiseman calls this kind of well-meaning interference 'diminishing'. Leaders who step in too often, even with good intentions, end up stifling their teams’ confidence, decision-making, and development. And the leader also stays overwhelmed as a result.

Effective delegation means making your limited capacity a shared reality, and a shared concern. It’s not just about handing over the doing of tasks, but also the decision-making alongside creating the conditions for others to succeed.

It's creating structures where others can safely say, "yes, I’ll take this on - and this is what I need to do it well".

Why it matters: Effective delegation isn’t an admission of weakness. It’s a demonstration of clarity. It models trust, creates space for leadership at every level of your organisation or team, and it protects focus by refusing to hold onto work that could or should be shared.

Try: In your next team meeting, ask: "What’s on my plate that someone else might want to lead or learn from doing?" Then turn the question around and ask "What’s something on your plate that feels stuck or unowned?"

Make this open, generous, collaborative way of thinking and talking about shared work a regular prompt, not a one-off.

Plan for rhythm, not just output

In his New Yorker piece “It’s Time to Embrace Slow Productivity” Cal Newport argues for reducing the volume of tasks expected from knowledge workers in favour of deeper, more sustainable productivity. He describes this as “keeping an individual worker’s volume at a sustainable level”, and notes research supporting reduced work weeks, like Iceland’s large-scale trials, that led to lower stress and higher satisfaction among participants.

My old colleague Dominic Gray recently pointed out how rushed the cultural sector has become, with slower, deeper development giving way to quick fixes and things being done with the nearest 'good enough' partner. Dom mentioned Opera North’s Orpheus (2022), a stunning final production built on years of patient relationship-building.

His parting line has stuck with me, "it’s the age of the air fryer, but we mustn’t forget some dishes need slow cooking."

Why it matters: Four-day weeks might not be realistic for your organisation, but rhythmic work patterns can help to prevent burnout, support creativity, and enable recovery - which is key to long-term resilience. I’ve written before about the value of more seasonal rhythms, building in moments of rest and reflection that align with your year’s natural shape.

Try: Mapping the natural ebb and flow of your year. Where could 'slower' weeks realistically be introduced not just for rest, but for reflecting and rebalancing?

Make ‘no’ a strategic response

Research by psychologist Roy Baumeister and journalist John Tierney in Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength highlighted how "overcommitment depletes our limited self-control resources, leading to decreased effectiveness in decision-making and increased stress".

Basically, saying yes too much breaks our brains.

This is particularly true in roles tied closely to identity and care, like education, community engagement, or fundraising, where the pressure to say "yes" can be overwhelming.

Saying "no" or "not yet" isn't just a refusal, it's a strategic and intentional act that protects focus, effectiveness and well-being.

Why it matters: Recognising the limits of our willpower and making deliberate choices about where to invest our energy can lead to more sustainable and impactful leadership.

Try: Practice one supportive refusal a week: “I’d love to support this, but I can’t give it the attention it deserves right now.” Coach teams to recognise when 'no' is the right answer and back each other up when they say it.

Use a decision matrix to protect your time

Related to 'saying no', when you’re constantly fielding offers, invites, partnerships, and 'quick chats', it’s easy to say yes by default especially when the ask is flattering or feels like something you should do. But without a clear way to assess these opportunities, we risk overcommitting and misaligning our efforts.

A simple tool like an Opportunity Scorecard can help. It’s a basic decision matrix: define your north star, list your criteria (e.g. mission fit, time required, potential return), assign weights, and score each opportunity. Suddenly, you’re making decisions from a place of clarity and actual need or value, not guilt or FOMO.

Why it matters: We often say yes because we’re tired, unsure, or wired for social reciprocity. A tool like this helps shift those decisions from emotional to strategic, protecting time and attention for what really matters.

Try: Next time a new opportunity comes up, take five minutes to score it before replying. It might just give you the pause you need to say “no” (or “not right now”) with confidence.

In Adam Thomas's post on this subject he cites a few examples and things to consider:

There’s a great (and almost certainly apocryphal) story that Miguel de Unamuno, a Spanish philosopher and essayist, when invited to contribute to a publication, responded with

Dear Sir, Thank you for your letter. I decline. Sincerely, Miguel de Unamuno.

Short. Respectful. No wiggle room.

You can also use Derek Sivers’ Hell Yeah or No model and Cal Newport’s time-blocking to level up your personal productivity in this regard.

Anchor your work around a clear North Star

I mentioned a 'north star' in the idea above. Many cultural organisations feel pressure to do everything; to deliver public benefit, meet funder KPIs, respond to partners, reach new audiences, maintain legacy programmes, innovate digitally, unlock new revenue streams, and prove resilience.

The result is a sprawling to-do list and unclear sense of where real priorities and impact lies.

A North Star objective offers a counterweight. It’s a clear, purpose-driven goal that guides decision-making and resource allocation. Crucially, it’s not a slogan, it’s a practical test, a question you can ask: does this activity move us meaningfully toward our North Star, or not?

Why it matters: A clear North Star makes it easier to prioritise, say no, and focus effort where it matters most, especially when resources are tight and pressure is high. It supports strategic clarity and restraint without limiting ambition.

Try: Revisit your organisational goals. What’s the one impact you want to be able to say you’ve made in 3-5 years? Use that as a reference and framing through which to review your current activity: what aligns, what distracts, what could pause? There's a useful explanation of the North Star framework in the Open Practice Library.

Ask better check-in questions

This is a small one, but has proven effective when I've seen it used. The EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) approach to weekly leadership meetings starts with a check-in that’s intentionally reflective, not “How are you?”, but “What’s been good personally and professionally this week?” The goal is to shift attention to what’s meaningful, not just what’s urgent.

Why it matters: Reflective prompts can quickly build trust, surface hidden wins or blockers, and reframe how teams think about success and value especially in mission-driven work. They can help interrupt autopilot mode, because when teams only talk about tasks and deadlines, the focus stays on doing more. Reflective prompts shift your attention to what matters, encouraging people to pause and consider value over volume. Additionally, teams that reflect together build trust faster which, paradoxically, makes it easier to say "no", redistribute work, or be honest about capacity limits.

Try: Start your next team meeting with a reflective question like "What felt worth your time last week?" See what it changes, in my experience this small change can really reframe the conversations you end up having.

Other perspectives

Tim Krieder's 2012 New York Times op-ed, The 'Busy' Trap, is a good piece on many of the things I've talked about in these two articles, "Idleness is not just a vacation, an indulgence or a vice; it is as indispensable to the brain as vitamin D is to the body, and deprived of it we suffer a mental affliction as disfiguring as rickets. The space and quiet that idleness provides is a necessary condition for standing back from life and seeing it whole, for making unexpected connections and waiting for the wild summer lightning strikes of inspiration — it is, paradoxically, necessary to getting any work done."

One of my favourite thinkers around ways of working and organisational culture is Dr Carrie Goucher, in a recent edition of her newsletter she suggested some tactics for reducing 'untenable freneticism' (which I think is a symptom of the busyness I've been talking about).

She asks:

• Can you get people out of some meetings?
• Could you find a meeting free half day for the team?
• Can you streamline Teams chat messaging?
• Can you bottom out something that’s unsaid but stressing people out?
• Can you introduce BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)

In their book, Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day, Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky argue that the default systems of modern life (e.g. constant notifications, packed calendars) steal our attention. They recommend choosing one “highlight” per day to focus your energy and attention on more productively.

And finally, in their 2017 Harvard Business Review article, Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time, Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy make a compelling case for building reflection into your daily routines, "Wanner still puts in long hours on the job, but he renews himself regularly along the way. He leaves his desk for lunch and usually takes a morning and an afternoon walk outside. When he arrives at home in the evening, he’s more relaxed and better able to connect with his wife and children."

As always, not everything here will be relevant or realistic for every context. But I hope some of these ideas offer a useful nudge or at least a way to start conversations with colleagues about how we work, and what we prioritise.

None of these are dramatic interventions. They’re not revolutionary frameworks or magic solutions. But they are real, practical actions that individuals and teams can take (often without permission, training, budget, or fanfare). They won’t solve systemic overwork overnight, but they can chip away at it, helping to create cultures where reflection, intention, and care are not exceptions, but expectations.

Like most culture shifts, these ideas require repetition. They’re not one-off fixes you can tick off a list. They’re ideas and practices to return to, again and again, especially when time feels tight, which is often when they’re needed most. And yes, I know that can feel hard. Busyness makes this kind of slow, deliberate change feel impossible.

You might not feel the difference straight away. But over time, these small decisions (to think before reacting, to feel comfortable saying no or making compromises, to share responsibility, to pause and reflect) will begin to add up.

They might change not just how we work, but how we feel about the work.

Because the current dynamic really does feel unsustainable. The uncertainty that runs through so much of our work isn’t going away, and that means we have to find ways to look after ourselves and each other if we’re going to keep going. Finding space to feel less busy plays, I think, a big part in that.

It's the age of the air-fryer, but we mustn't forget that some dishes need slow cooking

I already shared a quote from Dom's comments in the conversation on Linkedin, but I wanted to share what he said in full: "It's been very noticeable over the last couple of years in the cultural sector that the slower, deeper development of new projects and partnerships is giving way to quicker solutions and reaching for the nearest person or organisation 'more or less' aligned to the particular challenge. It's understandable; people's deadlines are tighter and the most crucial resource of all - headspace - is contracting down to nothing. It's making me think about the Orpheus project at Opera North in 2022. An amazing final piece & production, but crucially built on many years developing a deep and sustained relationship between Opera North and South Asian Arts-uk. It's the age of the air-fryer, but we mustn't forget that some dishes need slow cooking"

The ideas I've shared here won’t dismantle the deeper ideological forces that shape our sector’s pace, priorities, or funding. But they can maybe open up space to think, to care, to resist the pull of 'always-on'. And in that space, we can start imagining different ways of working, leading, and valuing what we do.

I’d love to hear from others: have you found ways to shift the culture in your team or organisation? Let me know.