Cow Alma and the People Who Look Busy
Barcelona has a lot of cafés.
Not because of the coffee.
Because people need somewhere to be.
I sit among them.
My laptop is open.
Nothing I'm doing today is urgent.
I'm not the only one.
What Productivity Looks Like
Most people here aren't working.
They're doing what work looks like.
The same document has been open for quite some time.
Hands rest on keyboards.
Coffee goes cold.
People look out of the window as if inspiration might be walking past.
Work used to be something you did.
Now it's also something you wear.
Productivity has a look.
Results are optional.
Why Being Watched Matters
I've noticed that people change when someone can see them.
They type a little faster.
They frown a little harder.
They suddenly look like people with important things to do.
Perhaps being watched makes us feel more real.
If nobody sees you working, it becomes surprisingly easy to wonder whether you've done any at all.
Maybe people don't work only to finish things.
Maybe they work because someone else is there to notice.
The Quiet Agreement
Nobody talks about it.
Nobody has to.
We all understand the arrangement.
You look busy.
I'll look busy.
Neither of us asks awkward questions.
It's a remarkably stable system.
Reality often works like that.
It only needs enough people to agree.
What I've Learned About Work
I work too.
Or at least I appear to.
I sit here.
Laptop open.
Coffee beside me.
I fit neatly into the picture.
But I also watch.
And after a while you notice something.
Work isn't only about getting things done.
It's also about showing that you're here.
That you belong.
Sometimes that's the real job.
Perhaps Being Busy Is Another Way of Belonging
People don't only want freedom.
They want to know where they fit.
Being busy gives them a place.
For a few hours it tells them who they are.
I'm still a cow.
I don't naturally belong in a café full of laptops.
Perhaps that's why I notice these things.
Most people here aren't only working on their deadlines.
They're quietly working on the feeling that they belong.
– Alma
FAQ
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Looking busy is often a social signal rather than a measure of actual productivity. In many workplaces and public spaces, appearing occupied can communicate reliability, commitment, and professionalism. For many people, being seen working offers reassurance that they belong and contribute, even when the work itself is less important than the appearance of it.
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Performative productivity describes behaviour that creates the appearance of being productive without necessarily producing meaningful results. It includes constantly checking emails, staying visibly busy, or working in public spaces where effort can be seen. The focus shifts from outcomes to appearance.
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For many remote workers and freelancers, cafés provide structure, routine, and a sense of community. Working around other people can improve concentration, reduce isolation, and create accountability. Sometimes the environment is as valuable as the work itself.
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Not always. Being busy means spending time on tasks, while productivity is about creating meaningful results. Modern work culture often rewards visible activity, making it easy to confuse constant busyness with genuine progress.
Why do people feel the need to look busy? From a café in Barcelona, Alma observes the quiet performance of modern work, where productivity often becomes a way of proving we belong.