How to Cope with Short-Time Pressure
Just make this phone call….
Then prepare the dinner, pick up the kids, clean the house, buy a birthday present, fix the bike, get a haircut, wash the clothes, read the manual, answer the emails… The list seems endless.
How do you cope with short-time pressure?
The question is, what is important and urgent? Not everything important is also urgent. And not everything urgent is also important. And some things that claim to be both are neither one.
So let’s have a look at the four options and find out how to cope with them, one by one.
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Urgent and important. - Settle these things right away or as soon as possible.
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Important, but not urgent. - Schedule a time when you want to do this or reserve a fixed time every day, week or month. Then follow that schedule.
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Urgent, but not important. - Two options:
a. Let someone else do it.
b. Don’t spoil your precious recreation or family time or your best working hours with that. Maybe you can do it while commuting or sitting in a waiting room or watching the news. Or when you are too tired for more important things.
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Not urgent and not important. - Two options:
a. Never do it. And never let your mind get occupied with it. Don’t let junkmail lie around, but trash it right away.
b. Write it on a seperate to-do-list for less important things and keep it there. Some matters get settled by themselves after a while. Then delete them. Or you settle them when they become urgent.
In order to make this work, you may want to make a deal with yourself and decide about your priorities. You can’t do all things at all times.
Clarify for yourself what your purpose is or your mission. What do you want to accomplish or improve or maximise? Why are you into this career? Who do you want to serve?
Once you know your priorities, stay consistant and let them guide you. Then, confirm or renew your decision from time to time when not under pressure.
This will keep short-time pressure away and get you where you want.