How Using AI Tools Challenges The “Cult of Busy”
You’d think a tool that replaces most of your mundane work with time to think, reflect and be creative would be welcomed. Think again.
Our Obsession With ‘Busy As A Personality’
If you’re reading this, odds are you’ve either tried using AI, been told to use AI, or are still circling it like a cautious cat approaching a Roomba.
The tools are everywhere: ChatGPT, Claude, Agent.ai. Adoption is racing ahead at warp speed — faster than even Moore’s Law could have predicted. And yet, in offices and virtual meetings across the globe, you’ll still find furrowed brows and arms crossed in quiet defiance.
Why resistance to AI? The most obvious identity that AI challenges is the cult of busy.
The perpetual “I’m so busy” is something of a badge of honor. AI threatens that story because now you can automate the “bullshit jobs” (thank you David Graeber for your brilliant insights). You can automate the expense report, immediately post the meeting notes, or summarize the competitive landscape in minutes. What happens to the ritual of grinding through those tasks? Busy equals valuable in a lot of minds, and AI challenges that identity.
Then there’s the fear of being devalued. If an LLM can do 70% of your day’s work faster and better (and without coffee breaks), what does that say about you? Suggesting that 70% of your work can be automated probably feels like you’re admitting you’re replaceable.
My favorite narrative is that “AI is “cheating.” There’s an purist mentality that still lingers: “What about the craft?!” People worry they’ll be seen as lazy or inauthentic, especially in creative or strategic roles. But history is littered with once-suspect tools that are now second nature but I don’t see anyone handing back their calculators, spreadsheets and smart phones in protest.
Related to the bullshit jobs is the attempt to connect admin work as proof of value. Oddly, the very tasks most people complain about — scheduling, formatting decks, writing repetitive reports — are the ones they’re reluctant to give up. Why? Because they’re quantifiable outputs. They can be pointed to as proof: “Look how busy I am! See all these documents I made!” Letting AI handle these tasks means shifting from visible busywork to less tangible creative or strategic thinking. That’s uncomfortable.
Given the current macroeconomic rhetoric, there’s also the echoes of the outsourcing panic. Since the early 2000’s many feared job losses (justifiably), but what emerged were leaner operations and the creation of new roles. AI resistance resonates with that same fear.
These fears are understandable but misplaced. The most irreplaceable people are those who wield new tools better than anyone else.
Maybe most surprising is that the people that I talk to who actively embrace AI tools in their work are also happier about work. They seem less stressed. Less “busy.” They have more time to think, to reflect, to be creative or just take a much needed nap.
Practical Takeaways: How to Gently Shove People into the Future
Start Small — But Start
Tell your team: use AI tools three to four times daily. This isn’t a homework assignment; it’s an experiment. Start with simple tasks: writing emails, summarizing articles, brainstorming.
Consumer Tools First
Don’t wait for enterprise rollouts or corporate licenses. ChatGPT is right there. Start with tools everyone can access.
Make Prompting an Art Form
The quality of output comes from the quality of input. Encourage your team to get creative and precise with their queries. Teach them that talking to AI is like briefing a junior staffer — the clearer, the better.
Turn Admin Time into Strategy Time
Challenge your team to track how much admin time they’ve reclaimed, then ask: What higher-value tasks are you now doing with that freed time?
Reward Curiosity
Publicly celebrate those who find clever uses for AI. Make experimentation part of your culture. People don’t resist what they’re praised for.
Don’t Wait for Permission
If you’re a leader, model the behavior. Use AI, show results, and invite others to follow.
The Future Belongs to the Curious (Not the Busy)
The people who will thrive in this next chapter aren’t the ones who cling to busyness as proof of their worth. They’re the ones who ask, “What else could I be doing if I didn’t have to do all this nonsense?”
AI isn’t cheating. It’s evolving. The people who resisted calculators are now retired — and probably still bad at math. The people who resist AI today will soon find themselves outpaced by those who embrace it, not to replace themselves, but to amplify their best work.
In the next 12 to 18 months, we’ll see a reshaping of knowledge work that previously took five years to roll out. The winners will be the ones who start now. So if you’re still hesitating, stop. Try. Learn. Make friends with the machines.
Because the future is coming fast — and it doesn’t care how busy you look.
