The Illusion of Urgency
#1895
How come that so often, important things become truly important only when they become urgent?
And I mean the truly important ones like your health or the people you love. If you ask anyone about what's important to them, I bet most will say that health is fundamental or that their family is their priority. However, how often does this "importance" reflect on our behaviors. And I say "our" because I'm as guilty as everyone else.
There are things in my life that I consider fundamental. Yet, I truly pay attention to them only when they become urgent. Like, health often becomes a priority only when there's something wrong that needs immediate attention.
With this doubt in mind, I did a quick search, and apparently, we're not bad. We are just human.
Our self-preservation instinct predisposes us to focus on immediate dangers or urgent tasks, often at the expense of addressing more important but less pressing matters.
Our ancestors needed to respond swiftly to immediate threats like predators or environmental hazards to survive. So, our brain is wired to prioritize close and immediate dangers over long-term well-being.
I also discovered a study, "The Illusion of Urgency," showing that people often choose to complete tasks with immediate deadlines, even if those tasks offer lower rewards or are less significant in the long term. Scientists call it the "mere urgency effect" and define it as "a tendency to pursue urgency over importance even when normative reasons are controlled for."
Aren't human beings fascinating?
I'm curious, how do you deal with your important things? How do you keep them on top of your mind? Share a technique that's worked for you!
Personally, I find journaling very effective. I also use the Eisenhower matrix every now and then to become more aware of how I prioritize things.