URGENT!!!

URGENT!!!

One word. Possibly written in CAPS. It may even be followed by an exclamation mark or three.

That’s all it takes for someone to knock you out of focus.

Some urgent things might spell disaster if they’re overlooked.

- A client’s on-air deadline. 

- The slide deck for tomorrow night’s investor presentation. 

- Chemo treatment.

These should not be ignored. They’re important tasks with hard deadlines. 

Then, there are things that are urgent for other people. Status updates, information requests or a recommendation you’ve been asked to write.

Sure, they're important for them. But that doesn’t automatically make them our emergency.

When the word “urgent” hits your inbox, stop before rushing into it. 

Spend a little time working out whether it truly is.