go about one's business

go about one's business (third-person singular simple present goes about one's business, present participle going about one's business, simple past went about one's business, past participle gone about one's business)

1. To attend to one's duties; to do what one would normally be doing if not detained, distracted, etc.
   • 1960 July 11, Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa.; New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC:

     Calpurnia appeared in the front door and yelled, “Lemonade time! You all get in outa that hot sun ‘fore you fry alive!” Lemonade in the middle of the morning was a summertime ritual. Calpurnia set a pitcher and three glasses on the porch, then went about her business. Being out of Jem’s good graces did not worry me especially. Lemonade would restore his good humor.

   • 2026 January 21, “Pictorial Feature: Pathfinder Finale”, in RAIL, number 1053, page 25, image caption:

     Crowds gather on the platform at Birmingham New Street to take photos of D1015, on the 'Pathfinder Finale', as CrossCountry Turbostar 170105 goes about its business alongside.

2. To depart; to resume one's usual activities, after being detained, distracted, etc.

• go about one's day