Most people equate being busy with being industrious. “If you have something that needs to get done,” the old axiom goes, “assign it to someone who’s busy.” People love to boast about how busy they are, but busy-ness and productivity don’t always go together.

Psychologists also say that idleness is one of the main reasons people are unhappy. However, even though Americans are busier than ever before, only only one in three describes him or herself as “very happy.” Many factors including technology, social networks and consumerism drive people to become busier. Even though “busy” is a symbol of social status, in reality, it’s making people miserable.

Why Our Culture Praises Busy-Ness

Brigid Schulte, author of “Overwhelmed: Work, Love and Play When No One Has the Time,” suggests that America’s Protestant work ethic has gone into overdrive. She points out that during the Catholic-dominated Middle Ages, one of the church’s seven deadly sins was “acedia,” or frenzied busy-ness.

By the mid-20th century, post-war America envisioned itself growing more leisurely. Economists predicted that by the 1990s, Americans would work just 22 hours per week. John Maynard Keynes went even further; he predicted a 15-hour workweek. Even Dwight D. Eisenhower, accepting the Republican presidential nomination in 1956, predicted an America in which people enriched their intellects, completing goals like obtaining advanced degrees. “Leisure … will be abundant,” Eisenhower said, “so that all can develop the life of the spirit, of reflection, of religion, of the arts.”

Leisure has never arrived, however, because wage stagnation forces Americans to work to pay for basic needs. The bitter irony is that even as Americans scramble to earn more, they’re spending more on frivolous items. According to the Commerce Department, Americans spend 11.2 percent of their incomes on unnecessary items, compared to just 4 percent in 1959. It’s the “acedia” of the Middle Ages, alive and well today.

For us, technology has been a mixed blessing. Prestigious universities have embraced online graduate education, allowing people access to intellectual opportunities and empowering them to earn more. American.edu Online, headquartered at American University, is an example of one of these programs. However, despite the advantages and flexibility provided by technology, many people aren’t taking advantage of resources that could make us happier and more fulfilled. Thanks to mobile devices and social networks, we live lives of constant interruption and distraction.

Busy People Aren’t Necessarily Productive

People assume that having idle time equates with laziness, which means that they also assume that busy people are getting things done. Productivity and busy-ness, however, are often mutually exclusive. People who value being busy all of the time often fail to set priorities. They constantly juggle activities, but they don’t do a good job at executing any of them.

Psychologist Anders Ericsson traveled to Berlin to study top-performing musicians. He quickly noticed that the best musicians practiced about 90 minutes per day and took a lot of breaks and naps. Many creative people deliberately cultivate leisure time to keep their minds free for insights. “I distrust the perpetually busy, always have,” author Mark Slouka wrote in “Essays From the Nick of Time.” “The frenetic ones spinning in tight little circles like poisoned rats. The slower ones, grinding away their fourscore and 10 in righteousness and pain.”

Finding Relief

To become less busy, more productive and happier, people should try becoming what author Greg McKeown calls an “essentialist.” In his book “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,” McKeown offers some tips for defeating busy-ness:

• Say “no” without guilt. Being invited to do something affirms us, but that doesn’t mean we have to do it.
• Rest. People who are well-rested, like Ericsson’s musicians, perform better with less effort.
• Retreat. McKeown recommends taking a three-hour retreat every three months to think about and adjust priorities.
• Re-examine traditions. Just because something was fun once doesn’t mean that it has to be repeated weekly, monthly or annually.

Finally, McKeown suggests reducing busy-ness aggravators, like smartphone use, social media and consumerism. If we don’t, says McKeown, “we will be left feeling that our precious time on earth has been wasted doing things that had no value at all. We will wake up to having given up those few things that really matter for the sake of the many trivial things that don’t.”

Joe Saul-Sehy

Joe is a former financial advisor and media representative for American Express and Ameriprise. He was the “Money Man” at Detroit television WXYZ-TV, appearing twice weekly. He’s also appeared in Bride, Best Life, and Child magazines, the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit News and Baltimore Sun newspapers and numerous other media outlets.  Joe holds B.A Degrees from The Citadel and Michigan State University.

joesaulsehy.com/

When it comes to hiring new employees, it can be easy to assume that either they just don’t make them like they used to or all the bigger companies are snatching away the most promising talent. While each new generation is different than the one that preceded it and larger companies may seem like they have more to offer than a smaller mom and pop outfit, the truth is that any business of any size can attract hard-working, affable and honest people who will not only improve the bottom line, but also make work environments more pleasant and productive. If you’re looking for a new batch of workers, and you want to make sure you get the cream of the crop, here are six tips that will help you attract the best employees to your small business.

Emphasize the Non-Corporate Nature of the Work Environment

Not everyone wants to work for a large corporation, regardless of the reliability and perks that seem to accompany doing so. There are plenty of hard-working, well-equipped people who would just rather work for a smaller company with less bureaucracy. Since you aren’t one of the big fish, why not consider highlighting that fact instead of apologizing for it? In your job postings and hiring processes, emphasize the non-corporate nature of the job. Some people would rather have a casual dress code and a boss they see on a regular basis than $5,000 more a year. Really.

At Least Match Whatever the Going Rate Is for the Position

While it may threaten to break the bank, attracting better employees will require you to be able to at least match the going, local rate for the position you need to fill. Good employees know what they’re worth, and while they may be willing to work for less than they have to if the work is meaningful enough or there are other benefits that make up for the lower pay, they will very rarely work for less than the standard going rate for a job. If you need a great new receptionist and your local competitors pay at least $13 an hour, then you need to offer that, too.

Offer Benefits

When it comes to employment, compensation comes in all shapes and sizes, and one of the most attractive of those is a good benefits package. While the Affordable Care Act has forced many small businesses into the position of choosing between offering employees health care or paying a fine, the reality is that it’s still cheaper at this point to pay the fine. However, not offering health care, paid maternity and paternity leave, flex time, paid sick days and the like will keep you from attracting the kinds of people who will help you make more money and provide you with a more productive work environment. If you want better workers, offer better benefits.

Provide a Positive Work Culture

A positive work culture will attract positive, hard-working people. When a potential employee sets foot on your worksite, she will intuitively know whether or not your employees enjoy their jobs, and whether or not the environment is a good one. If your work culture suffers from negativity, laziness, complaining, gossip or other ruinous practices and attitudes, get to work on changing it. Good people won’t work for you until you do.

Treat Every Employee and Potential Hire Like They Matter

People need to feel valued, especially at work. Whether you do it with affirming and encouraging words or through grateful email communication, make sure your employees and potential hires know that you value them, the skills they possess and the work they do.While this practice will certainly create a more positive work environment and make for happier employees, studies also show that employees who feel valued work harder.

Be Passionate 

In order to attract better employees you need to become more effective at communicating your vision with passion. Everyone wants to work at a job that has meaning and makes a positive difference in the world. Find the story in your own work that shows potential employees the ways in which your business is making a difference. If you’re able to find your passion about your small business and communicate it effectively to potential hires, you stand a much better chance of landing the ones who are also passionate.

Your small business doesn’t have to settle for second-best when it comes to finding and hiring good employees. From offering better benefits to providing a positive and non-corporate work culture, you already have the tools at your disposal to make working for you an irresistible choice.

Joe Saul-Sehy

Joe is a former financial advisor and media representative for American Express and Ameriprise. He was the “Money Man” at Detroit television WXYZ-TV, appearing twice weekly. He’s also appeared in Bride, Best Life, and Child magazines, the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit News and Baltimore Sun newspapers and numerous other media outlets.  Joe holds B.A Degrees from The Citadel and Michigan State University.

joesaulsehy.com/