520. Addicted to Busyness? The Science, the Symptoms, and the Cure

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Aug 25, 2025

Feeling overwhelmed by relentless busyness? Discover why high achievers often mistake motion for progress and how to escape this trap. Learn practical tactics like prioritizing deep work, saying ‘no,’ and using time blocking to regain focus. Jay suggests a unique 48-hour challenge to observe your habits without judgment. He emphasizes the importance of accountability, structured goal setting, and regular reflection to break free from burnout. Find out how even small pauses can facilitate meaningful productivity and long-term success.

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ANECDOTE

Einstein's Note On Happiness

Albert Einstein skipped his Nobel ceremony to lecture in Japan and left a handwritten note about happiness.
The note read that a calm and modest life brings more happiness than restless pursuit of success.

INSIGHT

Rest Can Feel Like Stress

If busyness is your drug, rest will feel like stress and you won't enjoy downtime.
Many high achievers are hardwired toward constant activity, which creates a cycle of motion over progress.

ADVICE

Protect Your Capacity With More No's

Notice if your default answer to new requests is yes and start protecting your capacity by saying no more often.
Saying no creates space to pursue higher-value work instead of accumulating low-value tasks.

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There’s a reason rest feels like stress when you’re hooked on hustle. Jay unpacks why so many high achievers get trapped in a cycle of motion over progress—how the Zeigarnik effect and our dopamine bias for fast wins pull us toward low-value tasks—and what it costs us in value, time, and morale. He then gets tactical: how to own the problem, say “no” more often, and swap performative work for priorities you can point to at day’s end.

Jay shares practical moves that break the cycle: “clear the decks” before deep work, use the focusing question as a sobriety check (“Is this my ONE Thing?”), and start your day with goals before phones so you can say “not now” with confidence. He also highlights the power of building buffer time, translating big goals into weekly milestones, and adding accountability so priorities stick. For the long game, Jay emphasizes weekly 4-1-1 planning, end-of-day reflection, a standing hour of “thinking time,” and quarterly reviews. Even small pauses—a half-Friday off each month—can retrain your system away from busyness and back toward meaningful results.

Challenge of the Week:

Do a 48‑hour busyness fast. For two consecutive workdays, keep a visible note open and check in a few times a day: “Am I in the busyness trap or on my ONE Thing?” Don’t judge—just observe. Do a short reflection each evening on where you drifted and what helped you refocus.

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To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:

How the Zeigarnik effect and dopamine loops fuel shallow work
Why “goals before phones” makes it easier to say no and protect deep work
The weekly 4‑1‑1, thinking time, and simple buffers that sustain focus

Links & Tools from This Episode:

Read Deep Work by Cal Newport
Harvard Business Review: Beware a Culture of Busyness
Read The Progress Principle by Teresa Amabile
Read The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham
Read The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
Free Resources
Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing.

Produced by NOVA