diff --git a/src/badger/gui/components/routine_page.py b/src/badger/gui/components/routine_page.py
index 1ad3810a..7d065139 100644
--- a/src/badger/gui/components/routine_page.py
+++ b/src/badger/gui/components/routine_page.py
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 from pydantic import ValidationError
 from PyQt5.QtCore import Qt, QTimer, pyqtSignal
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import (
+    QApplication,
     QFileDialog,
     QHBoxLayout,
     QLabel,
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@
 )
 from badger.gui.windows.lim_vrange_dialog import BadgerLimitVariableRangeDialog
 from badger.gui.windows.message_dialog import BadgerScrollableMessageBox
+from badger.gui.utils import with_busy_cursor
 from badger.gui.windows.review_dialog import BadgerReviewDialog
 from badger.routine import Routine
 from badger.settings import init_settings
@@ -156,6 +158,7 @@ class BadgerRoutinePage(QWidget):
     sig_updated = pyqtSignal(str, str)  # routine name, routine description
     sig_load_template = pyqtSignal(str)  # template path
     sig_save_template = pyqtSignal(str)  # template path
+    sig_status = pyqtSignal(str)
 
     def __init__(self) -> None:
         logger.info("Initializing BadgerRoutinePage.")
@@ -1119,8 +1122,16 @@ def refresh_params_generator(self):
         except Exception as e:
             QMessageBox.warning(self, "Invalid script!", str(e))
 
+    @with_busy_cursor
     def select_env(self, i: int):
         logger.info(f"Environment selected: {self.env_box.cb.itemText(i)} (index={i})")
+
+        self.sig_status.emit("Loading variables...")
+        # We need this for the text to actually get drawn in the GUI at the time we want,
+        # since select_env() is a slot function so the Qt main event loop is paused while it runs
+        # and the text drawing won't be processed immediately.
+        QApplication.processEvents()
+
         # Reset the initial table actions and ratio var ranges
         self.init_table_actions = []
         self.ratio_var_ranges = {}
@@ -1246,6 +1257,9 @@ def select_env(self, i: int):
         # Update the docs
         self.window_env_docs.update_docs(env.name, "environment")
 
+        self.sig_status.emit(f"Badger Environment '{env.name}' loaded")
+        QApplication.processEvents()
+
     def get_init_table_header(self):
         table = self.env_box.init_table
         header_list = []
diff --git a/src/badger/gui/mini/pages/home_page.py b/src/badger/gui/mini/pages/home_page.py
index 1b07473b..25a573b7 100644
--- a/src/badger/gui/mini/pages/home_page.py
+++ b/src/badger/gui/mini/pages/home_page.py
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ def config_logic(self):
         self.routine_editor.sig_load_template.connect(self.update_status)
         self.routine_editor.sig_save_template.connect(self.update_status)
         self.routine_editor.sig_go_run.connect(self.go_run)
+        self.routine_editor.sig_status.connect(self.update_status)
 
         self.run_monitor.sig_inspect.connect(self.inspect_solution)
         self.run_monitor.sig_lock.connect(self.toggle_lock)
diff --git a/src/badger/gui/mini/pages/routine_page.py b/src/badger/gui/mini/pages/routine_page.py
index 5c2e9a23..bc381035 100644
--- a/src/badger/gui/mini/pages/routine_page.py
+++ b/src/badger/gui/mini/pages/routine_page.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QMessageBox, QWidget, QTabWidget
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QVBoxLayout, QScrollArea
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QTableWidgetItem, QPlainTextEdit
+from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication
 from badger.gui.components.navigators import HistoryNavigator
 from coolname import generate_slug
 from xopt import VOCS
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@
 from badger.gui.windows.review_dialog import BadgerReviewDialog
 from badger.gui.windows.add_random_dialog import BadgerAddRandomDialog
 from badger.gui.windows.message_dialog import BadgerScrollableMessageBox
-from badger.gui.utils import filter_generator_config
+from badger.gui.utils import filter_generator_config, with_busy_cursor
 from badger.environment import instantiate_env
 from badger.errors import (
     BadgerEnvNotFoundError,
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ class BadgerRoutinePage(QWidget):
     sig_save_template = pyqtSignal(str)  # template path
     sig_go_run = pyqtSignal()
     sig_select_env = pyqtSignal(str)
+    sig_status = pyqtSignal(str)
 
     def __init__(self):
         logger.info("Initializing BadgerRoutinePage.")
@@ -1067,8 +1069,16 @@ def refresh_params_generator(self):
         except Exception as e:
             QMessageBox.warning(self, "Invalid script!", str(e))
 
+    @with_busy_cursor
     def select_env(self, i: int):
         logger.info(f"Environment selected: {self.env_box.env_name} (index={i})")
+
+        self.sig_status.emit("Loading variables...")
+        # We need this for the text to actually get drawn in the GUI at the time we want,
+        # since select_env() is a slot function so the Qt main event loop is paused while it runs
+        # and the text drawing won't be processed immediately.
+        QApplication.processEvents()
+
         # Reset the initial table actions and ratio var ranges
         self.init_table_actions = []
         self.ratio_var_ranges = {}
@@ -1186,6 +1196,9 @@ def select_env(self, i: int):
 
         self.check_for_nan_vars()
 
+        self.sig_status.emit(f"Badger Environment '{env.name}' loaded")
+        QApplication.processEvents()
+
     def check_for_nan_vars(self) -> None:
         """Show a warning popup to notify user if any var_table values are NaN"""
         nan_value_keys = self.env_box.get_nan_vars()
diff --git a/src/badger/gui/pages/home_page.py b/src/badger/gui/pages/home_page.py
index 64a3644f..bfa3e0b4 100644
--- a/src/badger/gui/pages/home_page.py
+++ b/src/badger/gui/pages/home_page.py
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ def config_logic(self) -> None:
 
         self.routine_editor.sig_load_template.connect(self.update_status)
         self.routine_editor.sig_save_template.connect(self.update_status)
+        self.routine_editor.sig_status.connect(self.update_status)
 
         self.run_monitor.sig_inspect.connect(self.inspect_solution)
         self.run_monitor.sig_lock.connect(self.toggle_lock)
diff --git a/src/badger/gui/utils.py b/src/badger/gui/utils.py
index 65859252..afe66894 100644
--- a/src/badger/gui/utils.py
+++ b/src/badger/gui/utils.py
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
 import logging
 import os
 from importlib import resources
-from typing import Any
+from typing import Any, Callable
+from functools import wraps
 
 from PyQt5.QtCore import QEvent, QObject, QSize, Qt
 from PyQt5.QtGui import QIcon
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@
     QPushButton,
     QToolButton,
     QVBoxLayout,
+    QApplication,
 )
 
 from badger.errors import BadgerConfigError
@@ -169,3 +171,23 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None, info=None):
         self.setLayout(layout)
         # Semi-transparent background
         self.setStyleSheet("background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 80);")
+
+
+def set_busy_cursor() -> None:
+    QApplication.setOverrideCursor(Qt.BusyCursor)
+
+
+def unset_busy_cursor() -> None:
+    QApplication.restoreOverrideCursor()
+
+
+def with_busy_cursor(func: Callable) -> Callable:
+    @wraps(func)
+    def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
+        set_busy_cursor()
+        try:
+            return func(*args, **kwargs)
+        finally:
+            unset_busy_cursor()
+
+    return wrapped
diff --git a/src/badger/gui/windows/expandable_message_box.py b/src/badger/gui/windows/expandable_message_box.py
index cc887257..52b34eeb 100644
--- a/src/badger/gui/windows/expandable_message_box.py
+++ b/src/badger/gui/windows/expandable_message_box.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 )
 from PyQt5.QtGui import QTextOption, QFont, QFontDatabase
 from PyQt5.QtCore import Qt
+from badger.gui.utils import unset_busy_cursor
 
 
 class ExpandableMessageBox(QDialog):
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ def __init__(
         super().__init__(parent)
         self.setWindowFlags(self.windowFlags() | Qt.WindowMaximizeButtonHint)
 
+        unset_busy_cursor()
+
         # Main layout
         mainLayout = QVBoxLayout(self)