What does the word Busybee remind you of?

The first thing it reminded me was the Late Behram Contractor and his newspaper.

Behram Contractor, popularly known as Busybee, was a journalist, humourist and the founding editor of The Afternoon, a weekly that was published in Mumbai between 1985 and 2019.

While I have very fond memories of reading “The Afternoon”, this nano is not really about “The Afternoon” or Behram Contractor.

There is no such word (busybee) in the English dictionary as well. But it sounds nice and has a zing to it.

In that case, let me give you the meaning of this word generally and in the context of our industry.

Busybee – any person who is always busy.

In our industry/profession, most people are busybees.

They are always busy (doing something or the other).

Our business has become a business of busyness.

We thus miss out on what’s truly important for us.

I see so many busybees in our industry.

I have always believed that we use busyness as an excuse or a reason to avoid doing the difficult things (even if they are super important to us). We use busyness as a place to hide. I don’t know about you, but I have.

I share writer, artist and educator Debbie Millman’s personal and professional motto (from the book, In the Company of Women) that we all can use to avoid being a busybee.

“Busy is a decision. We do the things we want to do, period. If we say we are too busy, it is just shorthand for the thing being ‘not important enough’ or ‘not a priority.’ Busy is not a badge. You don’t find time to make things, you make the time to do things. If I want to do something, I don’t let busy stand in the way. I make the time to do it.”

What about you?

Are you being a busybee and running a business of busyness?