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From the blog post: "Almost every Sunday night I mourn another blown opportunity to catch up" The author may also want to consider removing the notion of "cau

by tapp 14y ago

From the blog post: "Almost every Sunday night I mourn another blown opportunity to catch up" The author may also want to consider removing the notion of "caught up" from his vocabulary. Although it's not covered in the Now Habit, it's discussed in other respected books on procrastination and time management. I used to beat myself up a lot with the idea that there was a (poorly defined) state of having gotten "caught up" on life tasks like those the author describes at which point all would be well. The problem is that it doesn't really exist - there's always more to do than you can actually do - and denying that fact keeps you from living in the present. There are simply activities you choose to do and activities you choose not to do - that's it. While it may sound absurdly simplistic, this one change in thinking had a huge impact on both my personal productivity and happiness. FWIW, YMMV, etc.

graeme 14y ago
I'd like to give this a try. Any tips for removing that feeling?
- tapp 14y ago
  Writing this quickly because I'm about to run out the door, so please excuse the incomplete answer. In brief, aside from simply recognizing it intellectually (which alone helped me a lot,) I'd start by literally following the advice I wrote above and remove the phrase from your vocabulary. i.e. Don't say things like "I really have to get caught up this weekend." It's a hopelessly imprecise statement that, if you're like me, primarily just engenders stress and shame. Instead use active language re: precise tasks. e.g. "I'm going to fix my bike and go to the store this afternoon." Fiore does talk a lot about similar language issues in the Now Habit. For example, he stresses the importance of saying things like "I choose to work on this report now" versus "I have to work on this report now." His argument is that the latter promotes a victimhood mentality leading to resentment and then procrastination. He also points out that it's simply untrue. If you're going to be precise, there's very little you have to do - there are simply things you choose to do because either you enjoy them, or because you prefer the consequences of having done them versus not having done them. Hope that helps!
  - graeme 14y ago
    That's a good way of putting it, thanks. "I'm going to clear my inbox vs. I'm going to get caught up on my email"

by tapp 14y ago

graeme 14y ago

I'd like to give this a try. Any tips for removing that feeling?

tapp 14y ago
Writing this quickly because I'm about to run out the door, so please excuse the incomplete answer. In brief, aside from simply recognizing it intellectually (which alone helped me a lot,) I'd start by literally following the advice I wrote above and remove the phrase from your vocabulary. i.e. Don't say things like "I really have to get caught up this weekend." It's a hopelessly imprecise statement that, if you're like me, primarily just engenders stress and shame. Instead use active language re: precise tasks. e.g. "I'm going to fix my bike and go to the store this afternoon." Fiore does talk a lot about similar language issues in the Now Habit. For example, he stresses the importance of saying things like "I choose to work on this report now" versus "I have to work on this report now." His argument is that the latter promotes a victimhood mentality leading to resentment and then procrastination. He also points out that it's simply untrue. If you're going to be precise, there's very little you have to do - there are simply things you choose to do because either you enjoy them, or because you prefer the consequences of having done them versus not having done them. Hope that helps!
- graeme 14y ago
  That's a good way of putting it, thanks. "I'm going to clear my inbox vs. I'm going to get caught up on my email"