stick to business

stick to business (third-person singular simple present sticks to business, present participle sticking to business, simple past and past participle stuck to business)

1. To concentrate on the important matters which are of present concern; to avoid becoming distracted or sidetracked.
   • 1910, Stewart Edward White, chapter 52, in The Rules of the Game:

     "[T]here are more failures in the lumber business than in any other I know anything about. Why is it?"
     "Economic waste," put in Merker, who was leaning across the counter.
     "Lack of experience," said Bob. […]
     "No," said Welton, emphasizing his point with his pipe; "it's not sticking to business! It's not stripping her down to the bare necessities! It's going in for frills! When you get to be as old as I am, you learn not to monkey with the band wagon."

   • 1967 November 26, John Rendel, “Afghan Captures 32d Best in Show”, in New York Times‎, retrieved November 27, 2020:

     Desert Wind, an Afghan with all the patrician haughtiness of his breed when sticking to business as a show dog and playful as a puppy afterward, became top dog tonight.

   • 2003 February 23, Tim Dahlberg, “Boxing: Tyson wins in just 49 seconds”, in Independent‎, retrieved November 27, 2020:

     Tyson missed a week of training. […] His trainer, Freddie Roach, worried that Tyson would not be in shape if the fight went into the later rounds. It proved not to be a concern. […] "I just told Mike to stick to business. Stop screwing around and fight."

   • 2015 April 22, Anne Gearan, “Politics: 5 takeaways from Hillary Clinton’s return to New Hampshire”, in Washington Post‎, retrieved November 27, 2020:

     Clinton sought to stick to business despite what she called political "distractions."

• mind one's own business
• stick to one's knitting
• take care of business