Are you over scheduled and over committed? Welcome to the entrepreneurial culture!

Being over-scheduled and over-committed is a part of the culture of entrepreneurship.

However, being perpetually busy is akin to being sloppy with your time and is ultimately a form of laziness, says Tim Ferriss, entrepreneur and author of the best-selling productivity book "The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich."

Being busy is a satisfying substitute for doing important work. "It's very easy to confuse activity with productivity," says Ferriss.

Ever heard the expression “we can’t see the forest from the trees”?

Covey in his book the 7 Habits of highly effective people tells the story of an Indian chief that was out with his tribe clearing a jungle. After they’ve cleared the land the chief climbs up a tree and calls out “we’re in the wrong jungle”.

Entrepreneurs get so caught up cutting the underbrush they never stop to see if they’re achieving the goals and objectives.

Covey says that being efficient is doing things right, effectiveness is doing the right thing. The example he uses is about the sailor that was setting up the chairs on the deck of the Titanic (while the boat was sinking ;).

Peter Drucker says that management is being efficient and leadership is being effective!

To become effective you need to first define your highest goals and priorities, then schedule them as a big “rock” so that it doesn’t get pushed aside so easy, then make sure everyday, you do your priorities first and delegate away the rest.

Do the things that energize you the most and that will have the greatest impact and you will over time be more and more effective.

Call it being Smart and Lazy...