Put Things Off!

What are your priorities?

Although it seems counterintuitive, selectively putting things off can dramatically improve performance and outcomes.

In a world with too many requirements and demands, deciding to put some things off to focus on more essential items becomes a crucial strategy.

Lesson to Learn

We all need to decide what is most important.

Doing so gives us the best opportunity to give our attention to the vital few things we must do each day, week, and year.

As our plates begin to fill up, we must develop the capacity to discern the genuinely vital from the other items on our to-do list. After we decide what we must do, one key strategy is to put the other things off.

This gives us the room to do what will bring the most significant rewards and the most desired outcomes. However, this can produce stress and even hurt feelings from others who had expectations of our time and efforts.

That is why it is essential to be intentional about putting things off and telling others why we are doing so.

Answer for Me

Early in my professional career, I learned the value of prioritizing the tasks set before me.

One of the critical skills I learned at West Point, the US Military Academy, was prioritizing my jobs and doing the most vital. It was an intentional strategy to create stress and force decision-making upon cadets who were given more than they could handle.

For example, it was routine to be given 10 things to do with only enough time to do three of them. At first, this was incredibly frustrating — and it seemed unfair.

Once it was explained to me, I understood the important lesson I was learning. When an upperclassman described the approach to me and why it was done, I adjusted my thinking and approach. This skill has proven to be very valuable.

I use this skill every day. I know that life will give me way too much to possibly do.

It is my job to determine the vital few and effectively put off what can wait or discern what I don’t need to do. I intentionally communicate my decisions to others and navigate what is required of me. It all becomes a dance of the possible.

By seeing life as an endless list of choices, we can decide what to do now and put the other items off efficiently.

Action

How do you decide what to do and what to put off?

What ways can you devise to be better at prioritizing what you are asked to do?

Who do you need to discuss your choices with so they can better understand how you prioritize and work?

Becoming clear on how you will work through your day is critical. It will lower your stress and allow you to get more done more effectively.

When we let our to-do list overwhelm us, we tend to let stress and anxiety rule our lives.

Putting the right things off — at least for now — is often the most prudent course of action. It also helps us live healthier and happier lives.

Daily Habits

Start each day by acknowledging you will have more to do than the time available. This mental check-in will permit you to select some items to do over others.

Next, make a list of what you are intentionally putting off.

By making a mental or actual list, you can set these items aside and work on the truly essential things you need to do today.

Next, accept that you, and everyone else who is practical, must use this strategy. Doing so can free you up from the stress that comes from putting things off on your to-do list.

Finally, congratulate yourself for prioritizing what matters most — and work to get it done.

As hard as it may seem, putting things off is a necessary and practical approach required to be successful.

Do you want more insights?

To learn more about leadership, visit me at www.macny.org.

To get a copy of my book Present-Future Leader, click here.