What's this invisible force that compels us to tackle the trivial while the significant languishes?
We've all been there.
That task looming, the deadline approaching, yet somehow, you find yourself watching cat videos on YouTube or suddenly needing to find out the newest TikTok trend.
Why is it that the things we know are important often get pushed to the bottom of the to-do list?
What's this invisible force that compels us to tackle the trivial while the significant languishes?
That, in a nutshell, is procrastination – the difference between intention and inaction.
Here are some ways I try to stop myself from marinating in the depths of procrastination.
Ironically, this is the easiest yet hardest step.
You can’t finish until you start, so get good at starting. Once you begin, momentum often builds.
Engagement also fuels action.
As you invest a little effort, you'll naturally want to nurture and improve what you've begun.
Find a way to connect with the task, to see its value or potential and let you get invested in it. I used to put off building this website for months on end – now, I’m opening my site at least 5x a day because I want to perfect what I created and started.
For small tasks, the best way to get ready is to do it immediately.
These little things can accumulate and create a sense of being overwhelmed. Knocking them out right away frees up mental space and prevents them from snowballing.
You can apply this for major projects too. When you are stuck or overwhelmed, focus on the smallest possible thing that moves your project forward.
Small, regular efforts compound over time and lead to significant results. Don't get discouraged by not seeing immediate breakthroughs.
After all, slow progress is still a million times better than no progress.
Consistency trumps intensity in the long run.
Keep chipping away!
For steady satisfaction, work on improving your worst days, rather than your best days.
We all have good days where productivity flows easily. The real gains come from making your less productive days better.
By focusing on establishing consistent habits and minimising setbacks, you create a more reliable foundation for progress.
You have five minutes to act on a new idea before it disappears from your mind. That initial spark of inspiration is often fleeting.
Capture it, jot it down, or take the first small step towards exploring it immediately. Otherwise, it risks fading away amidst the demands of daily life.
Ultimately, you are what you do. Not what you say, not what you believe, not how you imagine, but what you spend your time on.
We're wired for urgency.
The ping of a notification, the flashing red light, the sense of impending doom when an email subject line screams "Urgent" or "Expendite". Our brains are like moths to a flame, drawn to the immediate, the loud, the demanding.
But, what is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.
To get the important stuff done, avoid the demands of the urgent.
Think of it like this - imagine you're building a house.
The urgent stuff is like putting out fires – literally and figuratively. A burst pipe, a fallen tree limb, a last-minute inspection. They demand immediate attention, and if you don't deal with them, your house might fall apart.
But the important stuff? That's laying the foundation, framing the walls, installing the plumbing and electrical. It's the slow, meticulous work that nobody sees, but that ultimately determines the strength and stability of your home.
We get so caught up in putting out fires that we forget to build the house.
Take the story of Warren Buffett's "two lists."
He famously told his pilot to write down his top 25 career goals. Then, he told him to circle the top five. Those five were the only goals he should focus on. The other 20? They became the "avoid at all costs" list. They weren't bad goals, but they were distractions from the truly important ones.
He was essentially telling his pilot to focus on building the foundation, not running around putting out metaphorical fires.
Learn to distinguish between tasks that truly contribute to your long-term goals and those that simply demand immediate attention.
Build your house and top five goals, don't just put out fires or chase the other 20 goals.
Have a clear vision of your long-term aspirations, but focus your daily actions on the steps that will get you there. This blend of long-term perspective and short-term execution keeps you aligned with your goals while maintaining consistent progress.
It's the consistency of those daily actions and relentless focus on the small, seemingly insignificant steps that, over time, compound into something extraordinary.
It's about writing a few hundred words every day, even when you don't feel inspired. It's about saving a small percentage of your income every month, even when you feel like you're barely making ends meet. It's about showing up for your relationships, even when you're tired and stressed.
It's about understanding that the magic isn't in the grand gestures, the flashy pronouncements, the overnight transformations.
The magic is in the boring, repetitive, daily grind. It's in the quiet, unglamorous act of showing up, day after day, and doing the work.
So, dream big, but focus on the small, consistent steps that will get you there. Think in terms of decades, and act in terms of days.
Because the greatest forests are built one seed at a time.