November 27

Busy Boredom

There’s a dynamic that I like to call “busy boredom.” A lot of pros I meet suffer from this malady. They are very, very busy. Much to do. Work to create. Meetings to attend. Yes, their schedules and their task lists are full, but they are bored out of their minds. They are no longer curious. They are not asking questions. They are not filling their minds with valuable stimuli that spark new ideas, new insights, new connections.

Here are a few questions to ask that will help diagnose busy boredom:

►Have you learned anything exciting this week?

►Are you working on a project that energizes you and maybe

even scares you a little?

►Are you doing any work right now that runs the risk of failure?►Have you askedwhyin a meeting recently?

►Do you find yourself scrolling on your phone in every avail-

able down moment?

The cure for busy boredom is curiosity. Ask questions. Come alive. Try something new. Read or experience something that challenges your point of view. Immerse yourself in a new perspective. Do something that rekindles the pilot light of your creative imagination.

You can be busy and bored at the same time. Strive to avoid falling into the trap of busy boredom.

QUESTION

Have you experienced busy boredom? How will you handle it the next time you recognize it?