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Post by angela on May 22, 2015 23:55:40 GMT -5
What's an example of urgent but not important? I'm having trouble imagining what would go there. I've been thinking about this all day. I think some sorts of busy work, or maybe cleaning to perfection. I agree too that often someone else's urgency can really not be an emergency but we think it is.
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Post by dayeanu on May 23, 2015 0:08:03 GMT -5
What's an example of urgent but not important? I'm having trouble imagining what would go there. That one threw me, too. I can't wrap my mind around anything too complex at the moment. My idea of setting priorities - I get up every morning and ask myself, "What's the most important thing I need to do today?" I try to keep that in the forefront of my thoughts all day. When something else comes along to do during the day, I remind myself what my priority is, and ask myself if this new event/activity is more important than my priority. If it is, I do it instead. If it's not, I pass it up and stick with my priority.
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ench
New Member
Joined: March 2014
Posts: 19
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Post by ench on May 24, 2015 6:20:33 GMT -5
I've just spent a decent amount of today reading about the quadrants in the links here and it's been really interesting! Thanks for this topic!
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Post by poppy on May 24, 2015 11:35:31 GMT -5
This is very interesting. Thanks, ra.
I think my problem was/will be in the actual doing of the urgent and important.
It's constantly circling my mind. I have to watch myself to keep from purposely avoiding some action/errand because it usually comes with some kind of negative feelings or consequence. It's a struggle to keep the proper focus on the category when it's easier -less distressing- to do something in the 2, 3, or 4 category.
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Post by Script on May 25, 2015 6:24:34 GMT -5
What's an example of urgent but not important? I'm having trouble imagining what would go there. I've been thinking about this all day. I think some sorts of busy work, or maybe cleaning to perfection. I agree too that often someone else's urgency can really not be an emergency but we think it is. These are things that came to my mind: ** the door bell is ringing: you have been TRAINED to be "responsible." It SEEMSs URGENT to answer it RIGHT NOW. So you stop what you're doing (paying bills on-line maybe?). You answer the door: it's a stranger soliciting $$$ for a charity you do not wish to support. This is truly not IMPORTANT to you. You are miffed at the whole idea of this "interruption" and when you get back to your computer, your bill-paying screen has "timed out" and you have no idea what "went through" and now you have lost your momentum and besides you hate paying bills and then the phone rings.... ** you answer the phone: once again, training has kicked in: it SEEMS URGENT to answer it RIGHT NOW. There is no number showing on your call display. It's your son/daughter. They forgot their lunch at home. AGAIN. You have warned them repeatedly that you will NOT bring the lunch to school if they forget. AGAIN. You have lost your bill paying momentum anyway and you "feel sorry" for them. So you bring the lunch to school. Again. And what's a little bit of time out of your day? You pick up the lunch and walk out the door. ** you get home from the school forgotten lunch trip. You are now hungry. So you start to make yourself some lunch. The phone rings: as before, you have been trained to answer phones. It SEEMS URGENT to answer it RIGHT NOW. You see on your call display that it is your best friend. Now it's not just "urgent" but pleasurable, as you love to talk on the phone! You answer the phone: happily. But YOU FORGET your sandwich heating up in the toaster oven. After a few minute, you smell smoke..... ** you have now burned our sandwich. It's URGENT that you get it out of the toaster oven NOW and open a window NOW and air out the kitchen NOW. Meanwhile your friend hangs up the phone.... ** you go back to the phone. You dial your friend back. Her line "goes straight to voice mail". You leave a message. ** and etc: for a WHOLE STINKING DAY. Answering phone. Checking e-mails. Picking up the pieces for other people. And meanwhile: the one single IMPORTANT but not urgent job for the day: paying the bills. Are they paid or not? Should you call the bank? Where's their number? The phone is ringing again. AND ETC. This way MADNESS LIES. PS: my DH has been slowly training me NOT to answer the phone when it rings during dinner time. It has taken him 39 years, and I'm still uneasy around ringing phones. URGENT URGENT URGENT. Ha HA ha.......
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Post by mynicehome on May 25, 2015 10:57:11 GMT -5
Good explanation Script! I don't know where taking down my Christmas tree (yup, you read that right) is on the urgent/important scale, but I'm taking that down next week because my younger son bet me actual cash it would still be up when he visits next month or July.
I'm posting this now because I want to be accountable for this holiday procrastination. I'll post it again next week and do it, by gar. There's money riding on this.
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Post by mynicehome on May 27, 2015 21:22:26 GMT -5
Apart from seemingly killing this thread, I posted my Christmas tree take-down in the wrong one. I thought I was in the procrastination thread. I'm going there right now.
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Post by 1rarebeautifuldove on Jul 24, 2015 19:39:26 GMT -5
You didn't kill it, you bumped it up so it was easier for me to find today when I searched for procrastination. I am so happy to have learned about the dark playground and the instant gratification monkey. No wonder I didn't want to go see the monkeys at the zoo!!
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