You’re busy. I get it. So am I. So is everyone else at this company. And as the market continues in this upward swing, so is everyone else in this booming real estate industry.
With that in mind, why has it become a frightening standard to begin any professional request with an acknowledgement and apology that recognizes a busy schedule?
I know you’re really busy, but… or I’m sorry to bother you, I know you’re working on a lot right now..
May I politely ask, WTF? When did this apologetic tone become not only the standard, but mandatory in almost everything we say or do? It’s scary, and it needs to change. This toxic environment of coddling forces one to acknowledge that someone else’s time is more important than their own. And that’s not fair, nor right. Last time I checked, we all have the same 24 hours in a day. You’re too busy today? Okay no problem, let’s talk about what might be a more realistic timeframe. It all comes down to time management and it’s everyone’s responsibility to manage their own.
So let’s make a change. Don’t apologize for someone else’s busy schedule. Be realistic and find a solution that makes it work for both parties. Here are some fantastic articles I’ve found on the topic, that are leading the charge in making this cultural change:
- The Busy Trap from the New York Times (a well written piece that sparked this debate THREE years ago)
- Four Ways to Break Free From Being “Too Busy” from Forbes
- Five Things to Say Instead of I’m Sorry from Business Insider
- Please Stop Complaining About How Busy You Are from Harvard Business Review
- Let’s Stop the Glorification of Busy from Huffington Post
Are you up against this same challenge? What are you doing to combat this culture of “busy?”
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