"How are you these days?"
"Busy!"
I'm guessing you've been on both sides of that exchange. And whether asking or answering, we've collectively developed the need to appear busy so others think we're working, we're successful, or we're important.
But the question, "How are you?" is meant to get at a feeling. Yet with a myriad of options of feeling words at our disposal (happy, sad, lonely, confused, elated, anxious), we still opt for the adjective that notes occupation.
Let's stop confusing movement for feeling, busy-ness for belonging, and action for progress.
As it turns out, you're really not all that busy anyway and science can prove it.
So work hard, work long, work smart, or work often. But don't tell people you "feel" busy. Skip the formality of appearing impressive and dive straight into real conversation.