🧠 Busy or Just Full of It?

Exploring the Fine Line Between Meaningful Work and Mental Clutter

Author

Igor Lucic
May 07, 2025

This topic of being busy (and honestly, overwhelmed) has been quite on my mind lately. It's like I don't know how to digest all the information, all the to-do lists, and the random attention-seeking activities that ultimately clutter my life—and with it, my state of mind. Life must have some balance in this regard, I’m sure of it. There have been wise people before me who must have tackled this topic, so I’ve decided to embark on this journey to understand better: are we all just busy, or full of s**t?

Today’s word count: 630 words

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes 29 seconds

Quote 1:

“Busy is not a mark of success.”

- Vanessa Van Edwards (behavioral researcher, bestselling author, and founder of the Science of People, a human behavior research lab)

This one rightfully earned its place as the first quote for this week. It just struck me when I heard it. Being busy and being successful… Why have we blurred the line so much in today's society?

Growing up, I remember my mom and dad being busy with work, obligations, and everything in between. I concluded that being a grown-up meant being busy. And now here I am (busy…) and questioning this subconsciously imposed marker of success.

To keep it simple: success is what we’re after, but the path to it doesn’t have to be filled with clutter.

 

Quote 2:

“Business is for losers.”

- Ben Wilson (podcaster, producer, and strategist; he hosts How to Take Over the World)

At first, it sounds harsh. But the message cuts deeper: it’s not about dismissing business, but it’s about calling out busyness. We fill our days with meetings, emails, and endless to-dos, convincing ourselves we’re making progress. But are we?

The real success isn’t about staying busy. It’s about being intentional. The most effective people aren’t the ones doing the most—they’re the ones doing what matters.

 

Quote 3:

“Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing.”

- Lao Tzu (an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer, traditionally considered the founder of Taoism)

Motion is often mistaken for meaning. We stay busy—scrolling, replying, multitasking—just to avoid the discomfort of stillness. But if all that activity leads nowhere, what's the point?

There’s a quiet kind of wisdom in doing nothing on purpose. Pausing. Reflecting. Choosing not to react to every ping and pull. It’s in that space—free from noise—that clarity shows up.

Sometimes, stillness is the most productive thing we can do.

On a personal note â€” It’s hard to clear the clutter and not be busy, but lately I’ve started creating a weekly to-do list of the major things I want to accomplish. From that list, I choose just one single task to focus on each day—and that’s it. If I get that one thing done, the day is already a success.

This way, I can truly start and finish the important things that move the needle toward my bigger goals and have the greatest impact on my life.

I am sure most of us can relate to this…

Feeling like making moves? — Define your major goal.

  • Make a list of the top 20 things you spend most of your time on.

  • Now cross out everything that doesn’t serve you major goal. What are you left with?

  • Can you eliminate those distractions—or at least drastically reduce their presence?

If you haven’t heard yet, I’ve got an Instagram page now! I’d really appreciate it if you’d join me there. The more of us, the bigger the impact we can make—let’s build this community together!

Your support means everything.

Love you, Igor

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