The Best Time to Grow is When You’re Busy

Welcome LinkedIn friends! Your weekly insight to grow your relationships and book of business.

When life feels busiest, you might think you don’t have time for growth or business development. But here’s the truth: the best time to grow is when you’re at your busiest.

Let’s explore why being busy is a secret weapon for success.

The Power of Being Busy

Being busy isn’t a burden—it’s an advantage. Here’s why:

• Access to Decision Makers When you’re actively delivering work, you’re more likely to interact with decision-makers. These touch points are opportunities to build relationships and foster new business.

• Engaging Insights to Share Busy people are at the forefront of action. Your work generates fresh stories, lessons, and trends that clients and colleagues want to hear. Sharing these insights keeps you relevant and valuable.

• Higher Perceived Value When your calendar is full, others view your time as precious. This scarcity makes your contributions feel more significant and worth their attention.

• Efficient Communication Busyness forces you to be clear and concise, finding faster ways to “yes.” People appreciate and respect efficiency.

• Freedom to Be Informal Your credibility increases when you're in demand, giving you the confidence to approach interactions with a more relaxed, natural tone.

The "I'm Too Busy" Lie

Many people tell themselves, "I’m too busy to focus on growth." But this mindset is flawed.

Growth and delivery don’t have to compete—they can complement each other.

The most successful professionals understand that business development is most effective when tied directly to their current work.

Why Growth Is Easier During Delivery

1. Access Is Key A study from Cornell found face-to-face requests are 34x more likely to get a “yes” than an email. Delivering work gives you natural face-to-face opportunities with decision-makers, so you can make the most of these moments.

1. Insights Drive Conversations When you’re busy, you’re learning on the job. Use this knowledge—specific details or big-picture trends—to engage others in meaningful ways. Clients appreciate ideas that apply directly to their challenges.

1. Scarcity Builds Value Humans are wired to value scarcity. When your time is in demand, it signals expertise and high quality. This perceived value often outweighs formal qualifications or credentials.

Turn Busy into Growth

Instead of seeing busyness as a barrier, treat it as a launchpad for development.

While delivering great work, remember to prioritize these strategies:

• Build strong relationships with decision-makers.
• Share relevant insights and lessons.
• Let your busy schedule reflect your worth.

The best time to grow isn’t when you have free time—it’s when your plate is full. Use the momentum of busyness to fuel your success and take your growth to the next level.

-Mo