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The 20-Point Guide to Looking Busy at Work 😄

One may genuinely be very busy at work most of the time.

But during that 5–10% of the time when you are NOT busy, it is extremely important to look busy, feel busy, and make sure everyone knows you are busy — otherwise, you may lose the rhythm!

Follow this simple 20-point To-Do List:

1. 🎧 The Earbuds Rule

Always have your earbuds/headphones on.

Every few minutes, nod your head thoughtfully or move your hands animatedly, as though you are deeply engaged in an important call.

2. ☕ The Busy Coffee Walk

Once in a while, take your laptop in one hand, keep your earbuds on, and walk to the pantry for water or coffee.

Continue nodding occasionally. The “meeting” must apparently continue even during hydration.

3. 🍱 The Early Lunch Exit

Always have lunch with a group/team.

Finish about five minutes before everyone else, suddenly look at the time and say:

“Excuse me, I gotta go for an important meeting.”

Leave briskly.

4. 📅 Calendar Engineering

Block your calendar with multiple To-Do, Focus Time, or Busy slots.

When somebody wants a meeting, ask them to “check my calendar and find a slot.”

Ideally, finding one should be extremely difficult.

Then graciously say:

“Okay, I’ll prioritise your meeting and cancel one of my other blocked slots.”

5. ⏰ The “Hard Stop”

At the beginning of an occasional meeting, casually mention:

“Just FYI, I have a hard stop — I need to join another executive meeting.”

“Executive” is important.

6. 🏃 Never Overstay a Meeting

Normal meetings may extend by a few minutes.

Not yours.

The instant the allocated time is over:

“Sorry, need to drop for another meeting.”

Disappear.

7. ⌛ Non-Project Meetings

For non-project meetings, occasionally join 5–10 minutes late.

Better still, attend for only 5–10 minutes.

You clearly don’t have time for all this.

8. 🎓 Leadership Training

Enroll in anything containing the words Leadership or Executive.

Then inform people above you, below you and sideways that you will be unavailable for 1–2 hours because you have:

“Leadership training.”

Do not provide the complete course title.

9. 🍽️ Dinner-Time Meetings

During the occasional evening meeting, make sure people know you’re eating dinner while attending the meeting.

The message should subtly land:

This is the only time I get for dinner.

10. 🔁 Back-to-Back Meetings

Every once in a while, join five minutes late and say:

“Sorry for the delay — too many back-to-back meetings.”

No further explanation required.

11. 🌙 The 10 PM Meeting

Occasionally schedule something after 10 PM.

Apologise:

“Sorry — couldn’t find an earlier slot with all the meetings.”

12. 🚨 The Critical Conflict

Once in a while, cancel or reschedule a meeting you organised, saying:

“Sorry, I now have a clash with a critical meeting.”

The meeting became critical after your original meeting was scheduled. These things happen.

13. 🎥 “Can You Record This?”

Occasionally tell people:

“Can you please record this meeting? I have a conflict, but I really don’t want to miss this.”

Maximum interest. Zero availability.

14. 👔 Strategic Calendar Visibility

For genuinely “important-looking” meetings — sync-ups with top managers, visiting executives, etc. — make sure your calendar permissions allow others to see the meeting title.

Some meetings deserve privacy.

Some meetings deserve an audience.

15. ✈️ Airport Meetings

When travelling, join at least one meeting from the airport — preferably one you don’t really need to attend.

Background boarding announcements are a bonus.

Occasionally say:

“Let me drop and join back after security.”

Everyone should know that even airports cannot stop you from attending meetings.

16. 🍴 Team Lunch Multitasking

For team lunches or office dinners:

Arrive slightly late because you were busy.

During lunch, take 2–3 quick calls of 3–5 minutes each.

Say things like:

“Sorry, I’m out for a team lunch. I’ll catch up again.”

“Sorry, sorry — I don’t want this to get blocked. I’ll check ASAP.”

And, naturally, continue messaging/emailing while talking to people at the table.

17. 📝 HR Deadlines

For HR training or surveys, occasionally request a 2–3 hour extension on the deadline:

“Really packed this week. Can I please get a couple more hours?”

It is important that HR also understands the magnitude of the situation.

18. 🚒 War Rooms

Regularly create meetings containing reassuring titles such as:

WAR ROOM
TRIAGE
URGENT
CRITICAL SYNC

For additional dramatic effect, consider DUNGEON.

Nobody needs to know exactly what happens inside.

19. 📞 Parallel Meetings

Once in a while, during one meeting say:

“Can you hold for a minute? I need to join another conflicting meeting in parallel. I’ll come back.”

Being in one meeting is normal.

Being in two meetings simultaneously is leadership bandwidth.

20. 🧘 And Finally… Champion Work-Life Balance

During an All Hands, raise a thoughtful concern:

“I think we have too many back-to-back meetings. Could we perhaps introduce a six-minute break between meetings?”

Clarify that you personally are managing fine, of course.

You’re just concerned about the wellbeing of your colleagues.

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The Golden Rule 🏆

You may be genuinely busy 90–95% of the time.

But never waste that precious 5–10% when you’re not busy by looking like you’re not busy.

That is when you must work hardest at being busy.

Or at least…

looking busy. 😎