Ask strangers in your office lift, a business prospect, your clients, agencies, suppliers, even your close circle of friends & family (who may not even be in Google+ yet) the question, “how are you?”, and I 99% guarantee that they’ll reply, “busy.”

Has this become the most prolific yet inane response of our time? Sadly, I see people becoming green eyed monsters – jealous of someone busy.

What are we busy with?

Are we too busy? Or are we devoid of thought? Or are we simply trying to show that we are absolutely flat chat, which means we must be really important and therefore our self worth should be at an all time high.

You’re stuck in a rut

Hmmm I reckon we’re kidding ourselves and have got stuck in a rut. Possibly due to the digital revolution, need for immediacy and always being ‘ON’.

Did you do any of these today? Did you check your multiple email addresses, post a Tweet, retweet, share a status on Facebook or thought on G+, +1 an article, ask a question in Quora, check in to FB Places or Foursquare, snap a pic and share it with the world via Instagram, Flickr, or utilise any of the myriad of other digital opportunities that we now have at our fingertips? Phew I feel tired just writing it.

Well I challenge us all to stop just doing this for doing’s sake.

Move from human doing to human being

Yes, here is the nugget of gold that this post is about.

A simple reminder that we are human beings, and we need to live life as we want to live it and not move hectically through it ticking things off our list.

By all means do things, but take the time to absorb, appreciate and even reflect a little upon what the thing you did meant to you. If you didn’t enjoy it, then why on earth did you do it!

It’s OK, I’m not heading off into airy fairy, peace love and mung beans territory but maybe you can just slow down and find some time to reflect on these 2 simple words:

HUMAN BEING

In my marketing consultancy I see this time and time again. Clients and agencies doing so much activity that they’ve often forgotten the fundamentals – the things that will really move their business forward.

It’s time to step back and assess what you want yourself & customer marketing to actually BE.