80% of the problem is that we only spend 20% of the time on solutions

We spend far too much time on cruft. Cruft like:

Meetings

Emails

Phone calls

Conferences

Trainings

Performance reviews

TPS reports

This is all another form of hiding. If we spent less time hiding and more time producing, we wouldn’t have to work so hard to convince the boss how “busy” we are.

The truth is, most of us work just enough not to get fired. We work just hard enough to not be noticed. We look just busy enough so that extra projects don’t get dumped on.

This type of strategy has two problems:

Delaying difficult work only makes difficult work delayed.

While this path may help keep your job (for a while), this isn’t the path of Linchpins. This isn’t the path of someone we miss when you’re gone.

Chances are, you deserve better. Starting working like it.