Procrastinate on Purpose

1. Multiplying Time: Focus on Creating More Time Tomorrow

You multiply your time by spending time on things today that will give you more time tomorrow.

Redefine time management. Traditional time management focuses on efficiency (doing things faster) and effectiveness (doing the right things). However, true time multiplication involves spending time on activities that create more time in the future. This shift in perspective allows you to break free from the constant cycle of busyness and overwhelm.

Adopt a long-term mindset. Instead of just tackling today's to-do list, consider how your actions today will impact your available time tomorrow, next week, or next year. This approach requires:

• Identifying tasks that have compound effects
• Investing in systems and processes that streamline future work
• Developing skills that increase your efficiency and effectiveness over time
• Building relationships and networks that create opportunities and support

By focusing on time multiplication, you can escape the trap of constantly feeling behind and instead create a virtuous cycle of increasing productivity and freedom.

2. Overcome Priority Dilution by Adopting Three-Dimensional Thinking

Priority Dilution has nothing to do with being lazy, apathetic or disengaged. Yet it is the same net result: We delay the day's most important activities by consciously or unconsciously allowing our attention to shift to less important tasks.

Understand Priority Dilution. Many high-achievers fall victim to Priority Dilution, where they become overwhelmed by urgent but less important tasks, neglecting their true priorities. This leads to a constant feeling of falling behind despite working hard.

Embrace three-dimensional thinking. To combat Priority Dilution, move beyond traditional time management approaches:

1. One-dimensional thinking: Efficiency (doing things faster)
2. Two-dimensional thinking: Effectiveness (doing the right things)
3. Three-dimensional thinking: Significance (considering long-term impact)

By adding the dimension of Significance to your decision-making process, you can better prioritize tasks that create lasting value and multiply your time. Ask yourself:

• How soon does this matter? (Urgency)
• How much does this matter? (Importance)
• How long will this matter? (Significance)

This three-dimensional approach allows you to focus on activities that have the greatest long-term impact, rather than constantly reacting to urgent but less significant demands.

3. Eliminate: Give Yourself Permission to Ignore the Unessential

You are either consciously saying no to the things that don't matter, or you are unconsciously saying no to the things that do.

Embrace the power of no. The first step in multiplying your time is to eliminate unnecessary tasks, commitments, and distractions. This requires overcoming the fear of saying no and giving yourself permission to ignore non-essential activities.

Identify and eliminate time-wasters. Common areas to target for elimination include:

• Unnecessary meetings
• Excessive email and communication
• Perfectionism on low-impact tasks
• Over-volunteering
• Unproductive habits (e.g., excessive TV watching)
• Toxic relationships or unreasonable people

To effectively eliminate, ask yourself:

• "Is this task something I can live without?"
• "Does this activity align with my long-term goals and values?"
• "Am I doing this out of habit, guilt, or fear rather than genuine necessity?"

By consciously choosing what to eliminate, you create space for the activities that truly matter and contribute to your long-term success and fulfillment.

4. Automate: Invest in Systems That Save Time Long-Term

Automation is to your time what compounding interest is to your money.

Recognize the power of automation. Investing time and resources into creating systems and processes that automate repetitive tasks can yield significant time savings in the long run. This approach requires an initial investment but pays dividends in freed-up time and increased efficiency.

Identify automation opportunities. Look for tasks and processes that:

• Are repetitive and predictable
• Require minimal human judgment
• Consume significant time when done manually
• Have a high potential for error when done manually

Examples of valuable automation include:

• Setting up email filters and auto-responders
• Using customer relationship management (CRM) systems
• Implementing project management and collaboration tools
• Creating templates for common documents and communications
• Using scheduling software for appointments and meetings
• Setting up automatic bill payments and financial transfers

When considering automation, calculate the return on time invested (R.O.T.I.) by comparing the time spent implementing the automation against the time saved over the long term. Prioritize automations with the highest R.O.T.I. to maximize your time multiplication efforts.

5. Delegate: Empower Others and Accept Imperfection

Leadership isn't about getting things done right. It's about getting things done through other people.

Overcome the delegation dilemma. Many high-achievers struggle with delegation due to perfectionism and the belief that "it's faster to do it myself." However, effective delegation is crucial for multiplying your time and scaling your impact.

Master the art of delegation. To delegate successfully:

1. Identify tasks that don't require your unique skills or expertise
2. Choose the right person for each task, considering their skills and development needs
3. Provide clear instructions and expectations
4. Allow for mistakes and learning opportunities
5. Offer support and feedback throughout the process

Calculate delegation ROI. Use the 30x rule: If a task takes you 5 minutes daily, invest up to 150 minutes (30 x 5) in training someone else to do it. This initial time investment will yield significant returns over time.

Remember that delegation is not about offloading work, but about developing others and freeing yourself to focus on high-impact activities. By accepting imperfection and empowering your team, you create a culture of growth and multiply your collective time and impact.

6. Procrastinate on Purpose: The Power of Intentional Waiting

Patience is giving yourself time to breathe.

Distinguish between procrastination and patience. While traditional procrastination stems from avoidance or laziness, purposeful procrastination involves intentionally delaying tasks for strategic reasons. This approach can help you avoid unnecessary work and make better decisions.

Practice purposeful procrastination. Consider delaying action when:

• More information is needed to make an informed decision
• The situation may resolve itself without your intervention
• Waiting could lead to better options or opportunities
• Immediate action might result in wasted effort due to changing circumstances

Strategies for effective purposeful procrastination include:

• Setting reminders to revisit delayed tasks at appropriate intervals
• Communicating clearly with others about intentional delays
• Distinguishing between truly urgent matters and those that can wait
• Using waiting periods for reflection and strategic planning

By mastering the art of purposeful procrastination, you can reduce stress, improve decision-making, and focus your energy on the most timely and impactful activities.

7. Concentrate: Protect Your Most Significant Priorities

Until you accomplish your next most Significant priority, everything else is a distraction.

Identify your true priorities. After eliminating, automating, delegating, and purposefully procrastinating, you're left with your most significant priorities. These are the tasks and activities that truly deserve your focus and energy.

Create a protective environment for concentration. To maximize your impact on these priorities:

• Block out dedicated, uninterrupted time for deep work
• Remove or minimize potential distractions (e.g., notifications, unnecessary meetings)
• Communicate your focus time to others to manage expectations
• Use tools and techniques that enhance your concentration (e.g., Pomodoro Technique)

Maintain perspective. Regularly ask yourself:

• "Is what I'm doing right now the next most Significant use of my time?"
• "How does this task contribute to my long-term goals and values?"
• "Am I allowing urgent but less important matters to derail my focus?"

By fiercely protecting your time for your most significant priorities, you ensure that you're making progress on what truly matters, rather than simply staying busy with less impactful activities.

8. Create a POP Culture: Implement Time Multiplication Organization-Wide

The most Significant opportunity for cost savings in most companies today is not saving money. It's saving time.

Shift organizational focus to time multiplication. Recognize that time is often a more valuable and limited resource than money. Encourage your entire team or organization to adopt the principles of Procrastinate on Purpose (POP) to create a culture of time multiplication.

Implement POP principles across the organization:

1. Educate team members on the Focus Funnel and three-dimensional thinking
2. Encourage regular evaluation of tasks using the Eliminate, Automate, Delegate, Procrastinate, and Concentrate framework
3. Foster a culture that values long-term significance over short-term urgency
4. Implement systems and tools that support time multiplication efforts
5. Recognize and reward individuals and teams that successfully multiply time

Conduct regular time reviews. Just as organizations conduct financial reviews, implement periodic time reviews to identify:

• Unnecessary time expenditures
• Opportunities for automation and process improvement
• Areas where delegation can be optimized
• Activities that can be eliminated or purposefully delayed

By creating a POP culture, you can dramatically increase your organization's productivity, innovation, and overall impact. This shift in mindset and practice allows everyone to focus on their most significant contributions, leading to better results and greater fulfillment for all involved.

Last updated: August 20, 2024