Why “We’re Just Busy Right Now” Is the Most Expensive Lie in Law Firms
Almost every law firm says it at some point:
“We’re just busy right now.”
It sounds reasonable.
Reassuring, even.
Busy implies temporary.
Busy implies momentum.
Busy implies things will settle down.
But in many firms, “just busy” isn’t a phase.
It’s a warning sign — and one that gets more expensive the longer it’s ignored.
Why “Busy” Feels Safer Than the Truth
Calling something “busy” softens the reality.
It avoids harder conclusions like:
our systems aren’t scaling
roles are overloaded
leadership capacity is stretched
decisions aren’t sticking
hiring is lagging demand
“Busy” feels neutral.
Structural strain does not.
So firms label strain as busyness — and move on.
Busy Seasons End. Structural Problems Don’t.
True busy periods are cyclical:
trial spikes
deal closings
seasonal surges
temporary staffing gaps
They have a beginning and an end.
Structural problems look different:
the workload never really drops
urgency becomes constant
partners stay involved in everything
processes feel fragile
exhaustion builds quietly
When “busy” becomes the default state, it’s no longer situational.
It’s systemic.
This Is Why Owners Start Motivated — and End Exhausted
Many owners assume:
“Once things slow down, we’ll fix this.”
But things rarely slow down.
Instead:
new work replaces old work
growth adds complexity
leadership load increases
the window to “fix things” disappears
Exhaustion isn’t caused by busyness.
It’s caused by unresolved strain.
The Hidden Costs of Calling Everything “Busy”
When firms normalize “busy,” they also normalize:
rework
missed details
delayed feedback
reactive decisions
partner intervention
uneven client experience
Each issue alone feels manageable.
Together, they erode:
margin
morale
trust
leadership bandwidth
The firm stays functional — but at a higher cost than necessary.
Why “Busy” Masks Execution Failures
Calling problems “busyness” lets firms avoid asking:
Who owns this?
Why does this keep escalating?
What work is sitting at the wrong level?
What assumptions no longer hold?
Where is capacity misaligned?
Those are execution questions.
And they’re uncomfortable — because they require change.
When ownership is unclear, everything feels busy.
How “Busy” Becomes a Cultural Shield
Over time, “busy” becomes part of the firm’s identity:
“That’s just how we operate.”
“We’re a high-volume firm.”
“Everyone’s stretched right now.”
The language protects the status quo.
But it also:
discourages improvement
normalizes burnout
lowers expectations
hides inefficiency
High-performing firms don’t pretend strain is normal.
They treat it as data.
The Difference Between Healthy Pressure and Chronic Strain
Healthy pressure:
is time-bound
has recovery built in
is shared appropriately
doesn’t rely on heroics
Chronic strain:
never fully lifts
concentrates on the same people
requires constant intervention
feels personal instead of operational
If pressure feels permanent, it’s not pressure.
It’s a design issue.
What Firms That Break the “Busy” Cycle Do Differently
Firms that move past “busy”:
model capacity instead of guessing
clarify role ownership
move work to the right level
stabilize workflows
assign decision authority
fix root causes instead of symptoms
Busyness becomes episodic again — not constant.
How COOs Surface the Truth Behind “Busy”
Operational leaders don’t argue with “busy.”
They unpack it.
They ask:
Where exactly is the strain?
Which roles are overloaded?
What work keeps escalating?
Where does execution slow?
What assumptions are outdated?
Once strain is visible, it becomes solvable.
The Question Firms Should Ask Instead
Instead of saying:
“We’re just busy right now.”
Ask:
What keeps breaking?
Who is absorbing the friction?
Where is work getting stuck?
What would fail if volume increased another 10–15%?
Those answers reveal whether “busy” is temporary — or expensive.
If “busy” feels like the permanent state of your firm, the issue isn’t workload — it’s unresolved operational strain.
I help law firms diagnose where busyness is masking structural problems and design systems that make growth sustainable instead of exhausting.