My laptop was open at 11 PM (again). Multiple unread messages. Multiple overdue tasks. Multiple missed calls. The only difference today was that I yet again missed my daughter's school sports activity—the one I'd missed in the afternoon because I was "too busy." My wife shared stories about how it seemed all other parents were there—probably not the case, but I got it; there was unhappiness in the tone. That was my breaking point. Not the 65-hour-plus weeks. Not the constant anxiety. Not even the burnout I was desperately trying to ignore. It was missing that afternoon sports activity. I was a "busy" person. The one who wore overwhelm like a badge of honor. "Busy? Me? Always!" I'd laugh, but inside, I was screaming. My calendar looked like a game of Tetris gone wrong. I was that person having lunch in between back-to-back phone calls, shoveling some unhealthy something into my mouth. I thought this was success. I thought this was leadership. I was wrong. Here's what I learned the hard way: - Being busy isn't the same as being productive - Saying yes to everything means saying no to what matters - Running faster on the hamster wheel doesn't mean you're getting anywhere That night, thinking deeply about my daughter's sports afternoon I had missed, I made a decision. This had to change. Not tomorrow. Not next week. NOW. I started small: 1. I Deleted email from my phone 2. I Created "sacred" hours for deep work 3. I started saying, "Let me check my calendar" instead of "Yes!" The first week was chaos. The second was uncomfortable. The third? I felt like I could breathe again. A Few Months Later? - I worked 35 hours a week (really) - I didn't miss a future school event - The business grew way beyond my boss's expectations, resulting in promotions - I slept 8 hours a night - My team became more productive than ever Plot twist: Doing less helped me achieve more - counter in intuitive, right? If you're reading this from your phone at midnight, if your to-do list keeps you up at night if you're wearing "busy" like armor...