My friend Chris Brogan has written a blog post that everyone needs to read. It’s about the craziness of the rampant belief that we need to be available 24/7 to be successful; that emails have to be answered immediately; and that everything we do is so damn important is has to be done now, now, now.
Describing our addiction to urgency, Chris writes, and I couldn’t have said it better:
“This Has to Stop
None of us are performing surgery (unless you are). You’re not calling me for the antidote to a poison. We MUST police ourselves about our sense of urgency. …
How I Am Going to React
I’m saying no. I’m going to say no to a BOATLOAD of things I’ve originally said yes to, simply because I’m very frustrated. I can appreciate your need to get things done. I can appreciate your wanting to include me. But I can’t be held to a 24-hour clock. “
All this urgency precludes doing our best thinking – which means we don’t do our best work. Or have balance in our lives.
You do have a life, don’t you? :>)
BL (and Chris) – thank you for putting this out. This is an issue that is growing along with the availability of social networks and wireless access.
It’s all about scale, isn’t it? While technology allows us to reach beyond certain physical limitations, it can only offset time, not create it. The concept of sabbath rest is crucial to living a human, balanced life. What you rest from is up to you, but without it you will burn out.
Saying “no” is difficult to driven people – we see a challenge and we want to meet it. Declining an offer can seem like we are are turning someone down. However, in doing this we are saying “yes” to ourselves and to the people who we have already committed our time and attention.
This situation could be the result of over competitiveness. The faster a person or party responds, the more effective they seem to be. Thus, a person who is willing to sacrifice his life or family gains an advantage over a competitor who is not.
But this type of competitiveness has insidious and far reaching costs. Think peace of mind, creativity that comes from tranquility, quality family time and its implications on the future.
Nice article. I also like the one Chris wrote.
Very true and interesting. Please forgive me for not being the first to write.