Take immediate action

Dear reader :)

In this post I want to address the importance of taking immediate action and the problems caused when not done. There are different reasons why some tasks are executed fast, delayed or ignored until there is real damage. Today I experienced again why inaction causes many troubles and that's why this topic needs to be investigated a little more. Let's get right into it!

Imma briefly explain what happened today: I received a speeding ticket about two weeks ago and I didn't pay (why the heck ever) and today I got the reminder letter with additional penalty costs. Since a month or so I want to cancel my sports tv subscription and I keep delaying it (why the heck ever) and today another month was debited from my account. I need to write an important letter to an office to ask for state of things and I'm just not doing it. It's not that I forget it all the time, no- I'm just not doing it (why the heck ever). I'm sure you know how these situations feel like. It type of puts you in a bad mood. You kinda feel guilty and you kinda don't care. Because all that behavior ain't that harmful, right?

I don't like the word procrastination, but from time to time I am confronted with it. Most of us are familiar with this term and the problems of not doing the task we are supposed to do. Most often we know exactly what to do and we still don't do it. There are a variety of reasons why this happens. Often the task is just "eh", unsexy or connected with a lot of work, unpleasant work with an expenditure of time. It would take a lot of effort and maybe we even have to find a solution in the first place. So not doing it is the most easy way of handling the task. Especially when it is not urgent or in cases when you still have some time left to deal with it.

The problem with these type of task / jobs / things is simple: No matter what happens- they have to get done! And that's the stupid part: Because not doing them will not solve them or make them disappear. It comes with a cost, not only financially but also mentally. In most cases the result is stress.

I recently found an interview from Jeff Bezos and it struck my mind. He states it perfectly and I'd like to quote him. Check his opinion on stress and I'm sure you will agree with me that this is 100 % true.

"Stress comes from things that you shouldn't be ignoring" - Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos on stress: "Stress primarily comes from not taking action over something that you can have some control over. If I find that some particular thing is causing me to have stress, that is a warning flag for me- what it means is, there is something that I haven't completely identified (...) in my conscious mind, that is bothering me and I haven't yet taken any action on it. (...) Stress comes from ignoring things that you shouldn't be ignoring."

The last sentence got me chills. It was a great moment of realization for me. It is a very clear and straightforward message.

A turning point in my thinking:

Working on a task and being busy is nice. You feel good because you are productive and make progress, but sometimes all these good doings are just a distraction. A type of justification for ignoring the real important things. Unconsciously your are stressed- because there are more important things that need to get done which you constantly postpone. To be busy is one thing but another is to be busy with the right thing.

Ignoring the things which are pending are a process blocker. You might get your shit done but it won't take you to the next level, because your mind is always reminding you subconsciously that you still have to do something else (with high importance). It leads to a feeling in which you are not free. You cannot enjoy your small steps. The classic meme example is one has to study for upcoming exams but all of a sudden cleaning the house seems so interesting and fun, which never gets done with so much joy.

Right away execution is the best friend of discipline

Let me give you two general methods I use which help me a lot in moments when I am confronted with things I don't want to do right away. Also when things get me upset because they are just annoying as hell.

1) The 5 Minute Madness 2) The 2 Minute execution

1. The 5 minute Madness:

If anything happens which gets you upset, spoils your mood and you get mad and you just want to freak out: Just do it! BUT only for 5 minutes. I mean we are no machines, we have feelings and we want to get mad sometimes. Especially when things don't work as we like, especially if a task has to get done but all of a sudden it takes way much more effort and time than expected. Set a timer and freak out for exact 5 minutes. Then continue as nothing happened. Enjoy those 5 minutes because after that it's getting real again and you're gonna tackle the task with laser focus and precise execution!

2. The 2 minute execution:

This method is kinda the opposite of the moment of madness. It is for situation which don't get you emotionally affected. Mostly these are task you are just lazy to execute in the moment. For example opening a letter, take out the trash, confirm an appointment, reply on a text message. What these tasks have in common is that they only need 2 minute to get done max. These small task should never be postponed. So whenever you have to to something ask yourself: Will this take more than 2 Minutes? If the answer is no, then don't spend any second more to think- Just execute right away.

I hope this article made clear why immediate action is necessary and avoiding action is the root for stress. Apply the two methods whenever needed and I'm sure they will help you in many situations.

Enjoy life and bless up

Sahil :)