It's true. There is an old adage that 'if you need something done ask a busy person'.
When I was an activist working on 14 or 15 simultaneous projects as well as working for pay with many consulting clients, I always found it possible to do one or more additional projects. I could abbreviate the time on one project slightly, I could get up earlier or work later or I could give up some minor event like coffee or lunch.
To understand the nature of my flexible time and my perception of that flexibility, I faced a dramatic challenge when working with the leader of the disability community Ed Roberts (and Judy Heumann). I found that my management style traditionally encouraged people to do some of the powerful and corrective work needed by spending more time to accomplish the corrective goals. Ed could not do more work than he was already doing. Every day he had to go to his iron lung in the evening to breathe and sleep. He had no additional time to work on my management recommendations.
My resolution of this challenge was to make suggestions for changing his standard daily behavior. He had to shorten the morning briefing with staff and use that extra 15 minutes to plan for new training sessions, as an example.
Now, I have a new perspective on the issue of work and workflow. I do much less work today that I did in my earlier years as an activist. Only four or five projects. I have time during the day to read books and take naps.
It is much harder for me to get work done. I can always say to myself that the project can be done later in the week. And I do say that to myself.
These days getting a project started, underway and finished is much more difficult because I am not maintaining a heavy duty pace.
I'm not complaining because I don't get nearly as many projects completed as I would like to. But I am delighted to read leisurely and take a nap.