I often fall into the trap of waking up, sitting down at my desk and proceeding to complete the work that I enjoy the most, irrelevant of the impending deadlines that are waiting to swallow me up. Why? Because it’s fun.
It’s a mistake that a lot of us make. We prioritise our work in terms of pleasure rather than importance. Alas, we wind up spending all of our time completing the tasks that we enjoy and then leave ourselves with none to take care of those that demand our urgent action.
Really, though, it would make far more sense for us to tackle the important things first so that we can proceed to relish in our favourite work without regret. That way, we can create freely without being watched over by those looming deadlines, resting assured knowing that we’re on top of everything.
It’s 9pm where I am in the UK at the moment. I have a lot of work to complete tonight, and I very nearly took to practicing piano before taking care of the important things - like today’s newsletter. But then I reminded myself that, actually, I should prioritise my work in terms of urgency, not in terms of pleasure.
By doing so, I allowed to focus intently my writing - the task at the top of my priority list. Then I can move on to do the things I enjoy most with a clear head and plenty of free time. Try it. It works wonders on your productivity levels.
Photo by Tyler Franta on Unsplash