look as busy as you are at work

Do you look busy at work? Because many of us sit in front of our computers all day it can be tough to show that you are actually being productive. We talk about building your personal brand at work almost every week, and finding a way to show your productivity can have a very positive influence on your image/reputation at the office.

Here are a few things you can do to show (not fake ☺) that you are busy reaching outcomes and making progress:

Regular updates
Sending your manager a weekly status report to show your progress on projects will give him a good indication of how productive you are. If you and your manager have regular meetings you can use this to guide your progress discussions. If you don't have much to report on it may prompt him to trust you with more responsibilities, and if you feel you have too much on your plate you can use this report as a reference when discussing your work load.

Look alive
During meetings or discussions, take notes when appropriate. Showing that you are task orientated and interested in the details of the discussion not only adds to your brand, it might just improve the way you follow up on delegated tasks. I have a tendency to forget the details of an assignment, so writing them down immediately helps me grasp the extent of the task.

Plan ahead
If you have a meeting coming up and you know the topic, see if there is anything you can prepare from your side to contribute to the discussion. Is there useful information you can share? Maybe some questions everyone else is too shy to ask?


We can all spot those colleagues who are trying to look busy but really aren't. Ensure that you are actually busy and using smart ways to show your commitment.