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 BITS
Support 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 podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO 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.

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.&nbsp;
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.&nbsp;
What you'll learn:
&bull; Why being busy and being valuable are no longer the same thing
&bull; The three psychological traps that keep high performers stuck in "busy work"
&bull; Why busyness can become a safety net that stops you taking meaningful risks
&bull; The behaviours that are increasingly rewarded in modern workplaces
&bull; How to communicate your thinking, not just your output
Our BIZ hosts are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-lie-42b705a1/?originalSubdomain=au">Lisa Lie</a> - a former Head of People &amp; Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emilyvernem/?hl=en">Em Vernem</a>.
<a href="https://www.learna-app.com/">Learna</a> is Lisa&rsquo;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 <a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/learna-people-skills/id6443828538">Apple</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details/Learna?id=user.learnaapp.com&amp;hl=en-AU">Google Play</a>. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKymlmzzCYg/?igsh=aXR6ZGN4emQ4bmdk"> </a><a href="https://mamamia.au/3Eli0BR">Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here</a>
<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/biz/ep-1-pay-rise"> </a>THE END BITS <a href="https://mamamia.com.au/subscribe/?utm_source=shownotes&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=quicky&amp;utm_content=mm-birthday&amp;code=TQBIRTHDAY">Support independent women's media</a>. Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes -<a href="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/send-a-podcast-voice-note-467960"> send us a voice note</a> or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!&nbsp;
HOSTS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lisa.lie_learna/?hl=en">Lisa Lie</a> and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/emilyvernem/?hl=en"> Em Vernem</a>
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser
SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion VIDEO 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.

BIZ is a podcast about work and how to make it work for you.

This season, we're promising new wisdom, fresh energy, and zero fluff. Co-hosts Em Vernem (ambitious but efficient) and Lisa Lie (founder of Learna) bring real talk, real hacks, and real experience. No vague inspo, no recycled advice—just smart, straight-up strategies that actually work. Because work is hard enough without having to figure it all out yourself.

Because work is hard enough without having to figure it all out yourself.

BIZ is a podcast about work and how to make it work for you.
This season, we're promising new wisdom, fresh energy, and zero fluff. Co-hosts Em Vernem (ambitious but efficient) and Lisa Lie (founder of Learna) bring real talk, real hacks, and real experience. No vague inspo, no recycled advice&mdash;just smart, straight-up strategies that actually work. Because work is hard enough without having to figure it all out yourself.
Because work is hard enough without having to figure it all out yourself.

Biz 

Why Busy Is The New Invisible, And What Creates Value Instead

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/3ea926be-9be7-482a-8ac3-a44f016e43d1/clips/b9e86eb3-fb1f-411d-92da-b4590063a883/transcript