Many people struggle with procrastination, but Rory Vaden says that there is actually a way to make procrastination a strategy for better productivity. In this episode, he explains why.
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We’re giving away two copies of Rory’s new book [amazon_link id=”0399170626″ target=”_blank” ]Procrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time[/amazon_link]. To enter, simply leave a comment below sharing one thing you learned from the interview.
UPDATE: Congrats to Catherine Grealish and Joi Sears, who have each won a copy of Rory’s new book.
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I want one! :)
Hmm… something tells me you might already have one or two stocked away somewhere… :)
great cast. My key walk away was the significance of the significance calculation.
I enjoyed the conversation but I think perhaps a key message about time multiplying didn’t really come through. Surely the real art to procrastination on purpose is to invest the time that would otherwise be spent on doing low significance tasks now rather than later into completion of tasks that make you more effective in the future; things like reading for inspiration and/or enhanced knowledge, developing or improving skills and abilities, researching opportunities or connecting with people. That way, an hour spent procrastinating on purpose now could reduce the time spent on certain tasks in the future (e.g. if your enhanced skill means you are better at doing them) which is truly a way of multiplying the value of future time blocks.
As an example, by purposefully procrastinating the task I was just going to do and, instead, thinking about and writing this comment, I am going to be rewarded with a copy of Rory Vaden’s book which will, in turn, help me be much more productive in the future. Go on, you know it makes sense ;-)
Ha! Love the example, and I think you’re correct in how you’re describing the concept of intentional procrastination. The goal is to invest that time in significant actions.
Your example helped me understand this concept a little better, thanks.
Excellent episode! I loved the visual analogy of the funnel and the mnemonic steps of eliminate, automate, delegate. Thanks Rory and Todd!
Agree – that was a great mental visual for me as well, Adam.
Nothing like purposeful procrastination. Could think of it as a “learning break.”
I have a page of notes so picking one thing is challenging! I love his definition of procrastination as “inaction that results from indulgence”. I also loved the idea of demanding progress. “I will make progress. I will not stand still. I will not go backwards.”
Catherine, congrats! You win one of the copies of Rory’s new book. Just send your mailing address through accidentalcreative.com/contact.
The analogy of the funnel was my favorite part, too. So helpful! Thanks for another awesome podcast, Todd!
I loved the visual of the “Funnel” for deciding what to focus on and then deciding “If it can wait until later, it should wait until later.” This concept will seriously revolutionize how I spend my time. Also, the idea that time management issues are more emotionally motivated than logical.
Another great episode. I loved the reframing of procrastination as really being about patience. In a virtual world where work or tasks are often initiated by emails and everything seems urgent (or emotional and not thought through), being able to not be reactionary is a powerful skill. I like the idea of asking the question Rory presents, “What can I do today which will give me more time tomorrow?” is helpful. I have found that when I stay true to my own time and energy needs some tasks resolve themselves or even continue to “slow cook”–whether in my own mind or in other team members or client conversations so that the direction is clearer or when I pick up the task.
I agree, Brenna. That question is something I’m going to start making part of my daily regimen as well.
“The first draft of anything is shit.” ~ Ernest Hemingway. You have to be willing to write that shitty first draft to get to the next, better one. Can be VERY hard to do. “All my ideas come from the typewriter. I have nothing until I start to type.” ~ Peter Schwartz
Todd, I found the second half of the podcast more interesting than the first. With no offense to Mr. Vaden, the funnel process strikes me as a repackaging or re-imaging of a lot of stuff that’s come before. Then again, I’m not an “ultra multiplier”–I don’t think, anyway-:) Not to blow smoke up your dress, your AC book, by contrast, felt new and real.
Never did get the difference between “important” and “significant,” and saying that “significance” is a way of measuring “importance” sends us straight down the funnel’s rabbit hole of consultantry, spinning ’round ‘n ’round the Z axis. C’mon guys! That said, “Rory Vaden” is a GREAT name for an author of science fiction, which could be Mr. Vaden’s next challenge!
Hope well-intentioned critical comments are welcomed here. If you want to keep it wholly positive, just let me know. “Bob Caples” is actually Peter Schwartz…sorry about that.
Peter, well-intentioned critical comments are always welcomed. Thanks so much for your thoughts.
“The rent is due every day”. I love that line of thinking. Great episode!
Now to figure out purposeful procrastination and not just use it as another reason to wait until tomorrow…en theos…jim work
Just the podcast I needed! I learnt that I need less to do lists and more “not to do” lists. So I can figure out what I’m doing that is needlessly draining my time.
Dell, have you seen this article about Warren Buffett’s productivity strategy? http://jamesclear.com/buffett-focus
The most important thing that I learned from the interview is the “rent axiom”: “Success is never owned—success is only rented. And the rent is due every day.”
The idea of one of the biggest forces behind procrastination being self-criticism was an aha for me. As a reforming perfectionist, I liked the concept of demanding progress everyday.
I actually gather two insights here. The first one was the Z-axis of significance because everything always feels incredibly important to me.
The second insight I added to how tasks should be postponed: elmaninated, automated, delegated, and finally crowdsourced.
Agree! It’s not that there’s anything brand new about the overall concepts, but the framework for making decisions is fresh and super helpful.
Excellent podcast, Thank You! Can’t pick “one”! Love to give myself permission! Success is rented, the triangle of importance, urgency, significance and the funnel!
Not urgent, or important, but longest impact. Not sure if this was the way he articulated it, but the “significance” thought resonated deepy!
I’m an 18 year old high school student trying to balance art with an ever-increasing school load. School coupled with doubt in my ability has created stagnancy in my creative life that I seek to eliminate this year. After listening to this podcast, I have decided that I will intentionally produce even amidst my fear of failure. I will draw everyday, because all I want to do is make progress, however little, as Rory suggested. I don’t want to be a victim of the law of diminishing intent. I refuse to demand perfection anymore, even though I am in the business of drawing photo-realistically, and the goal is 100% accuracy. Thank you so much for this amazing podcast Todd.
Yes! Keep pushing forward, Sheean. If you continue to make things, and seek to improve, you’ll get there. Many of your peers will drop off when things get difficult, but if you persevere and keep seeking opportunities, you’ll find them. Don’t be afraid of failure, but fail smart.
I need one! lol GIVING YOURSELF PERMISSION TO SPEND TIME ON THINGS TODAY THAT GIVE YOU TIME TOMORROW-just what i needed
As an artist, social innovator and creative entrepreneur I am often overwhelmed by having too many creative ideas! I’m sure many people think it’s a silly problem to have, but it really makes it challenging for me to distinguish what work needs be done today vs. what can be intentionally put off until tomorrow. Unfortunately, what tends to happen is that my work as a consultant/brand strategist “the paying work” always takes priority over the work that I truly want to do, and because I don’t really want to do it – I procrastinate. And then, with the more artistic/creative projects I suffer from self-criticism. I think that it won’t be good enough, or I don’t want to start until I have a perfect plan. A point that really stuck out to me from this talk was the idea of cultivating action by demanding progress and perpetually freeing yourself from the demands of perfection. Progress > Perfection. Also, the idea of spending time on things today that will allow more time tomorrow. Because of this, I have decided to demand progress from myself by completing and launching one creative idea a week, and each day making progress towards that idea. This idea should be urgent, in that it cannot wait until tomorrow and be something that matters for a long time. Hopefully, it might even be something that can bring a little money in because as you mentioned, “financial stability yields creative freedom”. Thank you for this enlightening podcast, “Die Empty” is still my creative productivity bible. I look forward to tuning in.
Joi, congrats! You win one of the copies of Rory’s new book. Just send your mailing address through accidentalcreative.com/contact.
Here is a graphic I rattled up today to capture the funnel process described in the podcast.
I loved this! The big takeaway was “Do things today that will create more time tomorrow.” AMAZING. There were, of course, a lot of other poignant takeaways, but this one really resonated with me because it is so easy to see in context of raising five little children! Thanks!
Agreed – as a parent of three, I’m starting to see the results of things we did years ago (or didn’t do), and it’s such a true principle.
I found the addition of “significant” to “urgent and important” to be helpful and something I need to consider further. As a pastor, I have lots of urgent and important tasks to accomplish each week, but the significant is often neglected because it requires long-term thinking, not immediate thinking.
Yes! We sacrifice long-term effectiveness on the altar of short-term efficiency. Thanks for your thoughts, Jo.
The idea that there are tasks on my list that multiply my time if I just go ahead and do them. I’ve also been listening to “Eat That Frog” and these concepts really seemed to jive together.
You cannot make more time. It is a scarce resource. And choosing to procrastinate on purpose is a good thing. #Priorities
Very true. Our experience of time can change, however, depending on how and whether we are really engaged. Interesting book called The Time Paradox that you might enjoy.
This might not be from the third wave of thinking but I really liked the idea of making a habit of action. I don’t do that. I wait for perfection. Automation is something that I haven’t explored enough in the context of performing tasks. The z-axis is something that I will have to mull over for awhile. I’m not sure that I get how to make it practical. I don’t really get the idea of multiplying either. I was running up and down hills while listening to the podcast so I will have to listen again and maybe it will sink in.. Thanks for bringing great topics to light.
On the habit of action: the brief moment for action is followed by a whole lifetime of opportunities for inaction…
I like this spin on procrastination
I was going to comment on how I wanted to be entered into a drawing but…must…put off…until…
Ha!