# The Busy Trap: Seneca on Why You're Optimizing the Wrong Thing | 373

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/stoic-coffee-break-6852210/the-busy-trap-seneca-on-why-you-re-optimizing-the-wrong-thing-373
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/stoic-coffee-break-6852210/the-busy-trap-seneca-on-why-you-re-optimizing-the-wrong-thing-373.md
Podcast: [Stoic Coffee Break](https://stenobird.com/podcast/stoic-coffee-break-6852210)
Published: 2026-04-07T01:01:00+00:00
Episode link: https://bleav.com/shows/stoic-coffee-break/episodes/the-busy-trap-seneca-on-why-youre-optimizing-the-wrong-thing-373/
Audio file: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/1385/injector.simplecastaudio.com/52ae4f3b-0734-4920-88d6-17c9d1d79253/episodes/064322ed-be33-493b-b93c-e597cc8e737d/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=52ae4f3b-0734-4920-88d6-17c9d1d79253&awEpisodeId=064322ed-be33-493b-b93c-e597cc8e737d&feed=5gXgeF_C
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/stoic-coffee-break-6852210/episodes/the-busy-trap-seneca-on-why-you-re-optimizing-the-wrong-thing-373
Duration seconds: 832

## Resource

Are you too busy? Are you working too hard to be productive with every minute of your time? In today’s episode I want to talk about the perils of over-optimizing your life, and what the Stoics had to say about managing your time. “So, concerning the things we pursue, and for which we vigorously exert ourselves, we owe this consideration – either there is nothing useful in them, or most aren't useful. Some of them are superfluous, while others aren't worth that much. But we don't discern this and see them as free, when they cost us dearly.” — Seneca

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## Transcript

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