"If we could get sponsored, we could go somewhere with sports in Cambodia, but the government is not going to support us because they are busy with other things, " said the runner, whose best marathon time of 2 hours 26 minutes, 28 seconds placed him second at the Sea Games, a competition held among South East Asian countries.

CNN: Cambodia's athletes seek a better playing field

Meanwhile bosses grumble that nobody pays attention in meetings any more, because they are so busy doing e-mail under the table.

ECONOMIST: You can have too much BlackBerry

These often result in trying out products or signing up for subscriptions, many of which users forget to cancel because they are too busy harvesting their radishes in Farmville.

FORBES: Facebook's IPO: Economic Lessons from Farmville

All of your mentors are taking time out of their busy schedules -- and they are busy these days -- because they want to hear from you.

WHITEHOUSE: Celebrating National Mentoring Month

This can result from people losing their jobs, and either they set out with a dream of being their own boss, or they declare themselves self-employed out of desperation because salaried jobs are so rare, and they want to look busy.

BBC: Behind the Budget challenge

"People who are busy are the best because they are well organized, " he says.

CNN: Dare to detox

Their three-monthly interviews are being postponed because they're so busy.

BBC: Unemployment: Your Stories

But Dr Himmelstein, no fan of managed care, also believes that for-profits are failing their patients, because they have been too busy keeping shareholders happy and paying lavish salaries to chief executives.

ECONOMIST: Quality of mercy

Fuel taxes are an economically inefficient way to deal with congestion, because they must be paid by motorists on empty rural roads as well as by those who are contributing to jams on busy motorways.

ECONOMIST: A survey of commuting