Busyness: A Form of Self-Sabotage

Have you ever caught yourself making decisions that don’t align with your goals, even though you know better?

Many people spend time focusing on things they don’t value, inundating their schedule with busyness, thinking it will help them “get ahead.”

I call this self-sabotage. And you’re not alone. 

It’s time to get beyond busyness, and beyond self-sabotage. This behavior is one of the greatest hidden barriers to success, affecting everyone—from CEOs to entry-level employees. And while it often happens unintentionally, its impact on careers, relationships, and personal fulfillment can be significant.

Three Forms of Self-Sabotage Caused by Busyness

I am the queen of unintentional self-sabotage. Over my years as a corporate professional, researcher, and speaker, I have found that self-sabotage comes in three main forms. 

Obvious Self-Sabotage is obsessive busyness by design, and happens when you consciously choose against your best interests. For example, you have a presentation to complete tomorrow, but you put it off until the last minute, knowing that it will stress you out and you will not do your best work.

Hindsight Self-Sabotage is where you only realize after the fact that your actions—or inaction—held you back. I stayed in a marriage with an alcoholic for 6 years and procrastinated, making the hard decision that he has to stop, or we are over, out of fear of being alone and the prospect of a failed marriage.

Self-sabotage by Distraction occurs when you unknowingly spend time and energy on low-value activities that keep you from pursuing your goals. Excessive interruptions, endless notifications, and the need to be “on” can undermine your productivity and focus. For instance, you might devote hours to answering emails and scrolling through your phone instead of tackling a meaningful project that could move your career forward.

In my book, Beyond Busyness: How to Achieve More by Doing Less, I walk readers through recognizing these forms of self-sabotage is the first step toward breaking free from patterns that hold you back. Once you're aware, you can make intentional choices that align better with your values and goals.

Why Do We Sabotage Ourselves at Work?

Self-sabotage is particularly present in the workplace, where high expectations, pressure to perform, and fear of failure collide into the form of busyness. Faced with this overwhelming mix, many of us drown ourselves in work to avoid confronting the real challenges.

Eric Schurenberg, former CEO of Inc., summed it up perfectly when he said, "Busyness is not the secret to success." Many professionals fall into the trap of equating constant busyness with achievement, which sets them up for failure because it is often at the expense of their well-being and productivity.

When we pour endless hours into staying “busy” without those efforts being meaningful, not only does it often go unnoticed, but it can also lead to feelings of resentment and unhappiness.

Here are four core reasons behind workplace self-sabotage:

Negative Self-Talk

We know this one all too well. That critical inner voice of always doubting ourselves can negatively shape our careers. We know these negative thoughts and beliefs oppose our best interests, but we often cannot quiet that noise. “I’m not good enough to handle this project,” or “No one wants to hear what I have to say in this meeting.” Over time, these thoughts become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Perfectionism and Comparison

Nobody is perfect, but we can’t help sometimes thinking we must look like the picture in trade magazines or the celebrities we see on TV.  Life might not be a competition, but constantly comparing ourselves to the next person’s job title, salary, or lifestyle is working against us, not for us.

Comfort-Seeking Behaviors

Sometimes, instead of putting in the hard work that is going to get us to our goals, we tend to seek comfort decisions instead, which will set us back. For example, you skip applying for a challenging role because you fear rejection. While this choice avoids discomfort, it also blocks the chance to advance your career.

Fear

Fear of failure, fear of criticism, and even fear of success can all lead to self-sabotage. For example, you might avoid taking on a leadership role because you’re afraid you’ll fail to meet expectations—or worse, fearful of what success might demand of you.

Building Confidence — Beyond Busyness

If we’re not careful, busyness can morph into self-sabotage, pulling us away from the goals and values that drive genuine fulfillment. Instead of drowning in endless tasks, step back and evaluate what’s truly important.

Busyness does not equate to success. Your time is precious, and how you spend it determines your ability to focus on what truly matters—happiness, wellness, and achieving wins that fulfill you, not sabotage your personal and professional well-being.

Purchase Beyond Busyness: How to Achieve More By Doing Less to learn a simple, data-backed, and actionable approach to balancing peak performance, self-care, and happiness without sacrificing one for the other.