Thinking is the antithesis of working

A few years ago my cousin wrote an interesting article for this website about two different modes of thinking: “queen bee” and “worker bee.” He used this “bee” analogy to explain the difference between planning and working. “Every day you don’t need to be thinking ‘is this the right job for me?’” He says this unproductive wondering leads to confusion. “But every once in a while you need to return to the hive and make sure you’ve been flying in the right direction.”

Over the past week, I’ve allowed myself to be firmly in “queen bee” mode. I’m mapping out systems for my business. I’m dreaming up new products and offers. I’m scheduling out the rest of the year, and the beginning of 2026. 

An unexpected discovery I’ve made while in “queen bee” mode is that it’s difficult to be productive while you plan. This code switching is inefficient, but even more so, the big vision thinking leads to a lack of motivation to do the work. My “worker bee” has been working on his projects for years without any need to stop and consider things. Now that his direction is in a state of flux, he’s lazy and unmotivated, while he waits for direction. 

When you put your hand to the plow, you can’t look back. I’m enjoying my “queen bee” time. But I’m looking forward to setting a course, and getting back to work.