Procrastinate on Purpose

doesn’t come from applying our resources proportionately throughout different areas. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Success usually is the result of focusing our talents, money, time or energy in one priority direction for a shorter period of time to create a desired result,

If we multiply our time by spending time on things today that will create more time tomorrow, then there isn’t a faster way to create more margin tomorrow than by spending our time today just wiping out, deleting or removing some of the things that we’re involved in that we would be doing tomorrow.

Every change you make begets more time spent to implement that change—and we always underestimate it. Ask the question “Does it multiply your time?” If the answer is no, and things are working, then stick with what you’ve got.

And there is a synonym for Procrastinate on Purpose and that is . . . patience. Patience is giving yourself time to breathe. Patience is giving yourself margin in your life and not trying to do everything. Patience is slowing things down. Patience is taking a moment to gather perspective. Patience is letting it sit while you focus on something bigg

the powerful essay written in 1967 by Charles Hummel called the “Tyranny of the Urgent.”*

And if you have a hard time saying the actual word “no,” here are some honest, straightforward phrases to help you deliver the bad news: As much as I would like to help you, I simply can’t right now . . . I’m sorry, I just much prefer not to . . . I’m afraid I simply lack the bandwidth right now to commit to doing this . . . Unfortunately, it’s not

Those making the Significance calculation are operating on a plane of different perspective. They are considering not only what matters now but also what matters later. Therefore that person is better able to resist the temptation of the tyranny of the urgent—which is exactly what ultra-performers do.

If Urgency is “how soon does this matter?” And Importance is “how much does this matter?” Then Significance is “how long is this going to matter?” Significance isn’t a calculation that is really separate from Importance; it’s the other part of evaluating something’s Importance. This creates three-dimensional thinking.

And yet where in all of the “time-management” classes is the section that teaches you how to manage your emotions? Which book on systems strategy addresses the human element of our decision making? And what productivity professor has a technique for how to respond when your beautiful two-year-old girl—whom you love more than anything in the whole w