Being busy feels productive. It feels safe. It feels like proof that you're working hard. But what if all that busyness is actually stopping you from creating real value at work? In this episode, Lisa and Em unpack why so many of us default to being busy when work feels uncertain, overwhelming or unclear. From colour-coding documents and endlessly refining presentations to filling our days with low-stakes tasks, they explore the psychology behind why being busy feels so good... And some of the things you're doing you didn't know fall into this category.  Lisa explains why the workplace has shifted, what leaders are actually rewarding now, and the practical ways you can become more valuable without simply doing more.  What you'll learn: • Why being busy and being valuable are no longer the same thing • The three psychological traps that keep high performers stuck in "busy work" • Why busyness can become a safety net that stops you taking meaningful risks • The behaviours that are increasingly rewarded in modern workplaces • How to communicate your thinking, not just your output Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem. Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here THE END BITSSupport independent women's media.Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon!  HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom LionVIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.