Truth Bomb: I’m Allergic to ‘Busy’ and Why It’s Time to Ban this Bullshit

No More Martyrs and Office Housework: Stop Doing Patriarchy’s Admin for Free

I’m fed up with busy. In fact, I’m very fucking allergic to it.

So, this newsletter is for you if you're still hooked on being busy or letting your organisation reward you for back-to-back meetings and inbox martyrdom.

This is your weekly kick in the bum, radical accountability reset post.

I’m issuing a challenge to women and managers alike: if you want to lead, you have to ban the busy bullshit and replace it with strategy, reflection, boundaries, and outcomes that move the needle for you, your team, and your organisation.

Subscribe to The Truth Bomb Times for the guides, the tools, and the truth bombs you need to create and sustain a workplace that works for women.

About Me

I am the unapologetically fierce, globally sought-after architect of workplace gender equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion. I’m the go-to strategist for organisations ready to stop talking and start doing DEI right. A veteran of the corporate leadership world, I bring my signature blend of research-backed strategy, straight-talking tough love, and feminist wit to every challenge.

Author of The Leadership Compass: The Ultimate Guide for Women Leaders to Reach Their Full Potential and founder of the Lead to Soar Network, I’m on a mission to close the leadership gender gap, for good. When I’m not dismantling barriers for women leaders, I’m enabling them to have careers that soar.

Ready for a workplace that actually works for women? I’m your woman.

I’m Fed Up With Busy, And You Should Be, Too

Truth Bomb: busy isn’t a badge of honour. It’s a barrier to success.

Frankly, I’m fed up with seeing women subscribing to the bullshit busy lets hustle culture and wearing that badge. If you’re still stuck in “busy,” you’re probably doing patriarchy’s work for it, by propping up a system that devalues your work and values the work of those who give you the busy work.

Once upon a time, an executive in my division at Telstra who would take a break every afternoon, literally gazing out the window for 30 minutes to an hour. At first, I thought, “Who does he think he is?” It turns out he was one of the few actually thinking, planning, and moving the business forward while the rest of us were head down arse up, often for the sake of appearnacves.

Truth Bomb: If you don’t make time to stop, reflect, and reprioritise, you’ll stay stuck in the weeds forever, not rewarded for effort, definitely overlooked for outcomes.

I’m fed up with seeing talented women run on the hamster wheel while the blokes go off and get noticed for “being strategic”.

Why Busyness is Bullshit

Confession: I used to wear being busy as a badge of honour. I thought my frantic schedule was a sign of importance.

“Look at me! I have so many meetings, so many emails, so much going on, I must be a very important person!”

What utter crap. I was running on a hamster wheel, but I had no clue if I was actually focusing on what mattered.

Busy is the enemy of impact. If your calendar is wall-to-wall, and you’re forever running from meeting to meeting, then when the fuck do you think about how to do things better, smarter, faster?

You must make time for self-reflection, learning, strategic thinking, or networking, because guess what? The bloke at the desk next to you is already doing that.

He’s networking his arse off, self-promiting like crazy and being seen in all the right places and meanwhile back at the ranch, you’re keeping the home fires burning for everyone else.

I’m well and truly fed up with that.

Here’s what I want you to do:

• Stop saying you’re too busy to work on your growth.

• Block out time in your diary, every single week, for reflection, problem-solving, and strategic development.

• Refuse to attend every meeting you’re invited to. Ask: Does this drive outcomes? Could someone else represent me? Could this be handled with a single, clear email?

If your “busy” isn’t aligned with outcomes, it’s time to reprioritise. Time is a choice for most of us. If you’re not working on your growth, admit it’s not a priority and see how that feels.

This Week’s #RadicalAccountability Challenge

For Women:

• Audit your calendar: Which meetings, tasks, and activities actually align with your leadership outcomes, and which are just busywork?

• Block time—seriously block it—for reflection, planning, and skill-building this week. Guard it like your life depends on it. (errr, your career does!)

• Drop one busy bullshit commitment from your week and replace it with something that grows your leadership impact.

For Managers and Organisations:

• Stop handing non-promotable tasks to women and calling it “teamwork.”

• Audit who’s in your meetings, who’s leading your projects, and who’s getting time for growth, not just delivery.

• Challenge your team: How many hours do you waste on “busy”? How can you strip it back and put the focus where it belongs, on delivering, learning, and advancing women’s leadership?

Truth Bomb: Busy is not a flex. It’s a cop-out.

I’m fed up with busy. Ban the busy bullshit, take back your calendar, and make space for the work that actually help you reach your full potential.

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Paid Subscriber Exclusives: No More Busywork. Only Action.

If you’re a paid subscriber, here’s what you get this week to help you make real progress:

Book Extract: “A Word or Two About Busyness”

Read the unfiltered truth from The Leadership Compass about why busy is the enemy of impact, how I broke my addiction, and the questions you need to ask leaders to shift the conversation. (Scroll down for the full extract.)

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3-Month Guest Membership to Lead to Soar Network

This isn’t a Facebook group. You get into the Lead to Soar Network, a private, women-only leadership community built for those who want radical accountability, practical resources, and women who refuse to stay stuck in busywork.

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Go Deeper Activity: Career SWOT Analysis

It’s time to stop, breathe, and take a hard look at where you stand. The Career SWOT Analysis is a step-by-step tool for ambitious women who want to get honest about their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Use it to focus on what actually matters in your development and career strategy.