A Healthy Sense of Urgency: Do it Now or It Will Never Get Done

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Have you ever thought about something that you want to do and then you never did it? If you’re like most people, the answer is likely a resounding “Yes!”

The key to overcoming laziness and procrastination is to develop a healthy “sense of urgency.”

A healthy sense of urgency is a “do it now or it will never get done” attitude. It can be an important feeling to help drive us to actually take action and get things done, rather than only thinking about what we need to do.

This sense of urgency is important for all types of decision-making, whether it’s a tiny chore that needs to get done or a big passion of yours that you never got to fulfill.

For example, say you just remembered that you need to take out the trash tonight. It’s a super small thing that only takes 15-30 seconds, but if we don’t get it done when we think about it, then we risk forgetting it and never getting to it. Next thing you know, you wake up in the morning and think, “Shoot! I never put out the trash!”

Can you relate to that? Well, don’t feel too bad…according to one new study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, it’s common for many people to misremember doing mundane tasks and chores like putting out the trash, taking medication, or responding to an email.

Often the easier a task is, the easier it is to take it for granted and forget to do it! This is why it’s so important to develop a healthy sense of “urgency” with certain things.

A general tip here: If you think of a task and it’s easy enough to do within 5 minutes, then you’re usually better off just doing it right away. Or at least adding it to a quick “to-do” list.

If you can do it now, but don’t, then it’s very likely you’ll forget to do it or continue to put it off.

The same applies to our bigger dreams and goals in life.

Think back to high school or college when you used to always make big plans with your friends. We frequently make big declarations like “We should start a band!” or “We should take a road trip!” or “We should create our own business!” Then days, weeks, months, and years pass by, and we’ve never accomplished what we wanted to.

The thing is: Life is short. Time is limited. And if we don’t develop a healthy sense of urgency to be pro-active and get things done, then life is going to pass us by without us ever truly taking advantage of it.

We mustn’t take anything for granted.

Of course, it’s important to emphasize a healthy sense of urgency because there’s definitely a balancing act between being “too urgent” and “not urgent enough.” A lot of it depends on whether you’re a Type A or Type B personality.

Type A personalities are characterized as ambitious, productive, and competitive. They are often viewed as “workaholics” who are highly focused on getting things done and reaching deadlines. While these types of people can also be very successful, they also experience high amounts of stress and anxiety, which could backfire and severely hurt their health and well-being.

Type B personalities are characterized as relaxed, laid back, and easy going. They are often less competitive and less concerned with “winning” or being “successful.” While these types of people often report lower levels of stress and anxiety, they can also be less responsible and hurt their ability to achieve their full potential.

Both Type A and Type B personalities have their advantages and disadvantages. The key between most personality traits is to find a healthy balance that works for you.

In extreme situations, Type A personalities have an unhealthy sense of urgency. They feel they always need to be busy or doing something productive, and rarely take the time to just relax and reflect. They would often benefit more from scheduling more time in their day to enjoy leisure activities and take more time away from work.

In the other extreme, Type B personalities have an unhealthy sense of non-urgency. They rarely get things done, they always procrastinate and put things off for a hypothetical “next day” that never comes. They can quickly become passive and lazy.

This article is mostly geared toward these Type B personalities and how they should develop a stronger sense of urgency to take action and get things done.

How to develop a healthy sense of urgency:

Cultivate a “now or never” attitude – A healthy sense of urgency is characterized by a “now or never” attitude. Motivate yourself to take action by thinking to yourself, “If I’m not going to do it right now, then I’ll never get to it at all.” In nature, when an animal feels threatened by a predator, it takes action right away on impulse – it doesn’t think “Well, I’ll just run away tomorrow.” There is no “tomorrow” in that situation, the animal must act now or die. In the same way, we should cultivate that sense of urgency for achieving our own responsibilities and goals. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, we need to seize the moment today.

– A healthy sense of urgency is characterized by a “now or never” attitude. Motivate yourself to take action by thinking to yourself, “If I’m not going to do it right now, then I’ll never get to it at all.” In nature, when an animal feels threatened by a predator, it takes action right away on impulse – it doesn’t think “Well, I’ll just run away tomorrow.” There is no “tomorrow” in that situation, the animal must act now or die. In the same way, we should cultivate that sense of urgency for achieving our own responsibilities and goals. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, we need to seize the moment today. Think smaller and build momentum – The biggest contributor to laziness and procrastination is that people often think “too big.” They have some abstract, distant goal they want to achieve in the future (“I want to be a famous singer!”), but they don’t think about the real, concrete goals that can be achieved today to get themselves closer to that larger goal (“I should practice singing for one hour today”). Think smaller. What is one tiny thing you can do today to bring you closer to your goal? If you can’t answer that question, you will never get started and you will never build momentum.

– The biggest contributor to laziness and procrastination is that people often think “too big.” They have some abstract, distant goal they want to achieve in the future (“I want to be a famous singer!”), but they don’t think about the real, concrete goals that can be achieved today to get themselves closer to that larger goal (“I should practice singing for one hour today”). Think smaller. What is one tiny thing you can do today to bring you closer to your goal? If you can’t answer that question, you will never get started and you will never build momentum. Recognize your time is limited – One of the most important reminders to yourself is that your time is limited. That can seem like a bad thing, but it also creates a sense of urgency because you realize that your time here is precious and that you need to make the most of it while you can. By recognizing that your time is a limited resource, it teaches you to be more grateful for the time you have and not let it go to waste.

– One of the most important reminders to yourself is that your time is limited. That can seem like a bad thing, but it also creates a sense of urgency because you realize that your time here is precious and that you need to make the most of it while you can. By recognizing that your time is a limited resource, it teaches you to be more grateful for the time you have and not let it go to waste. Create a daily “to do” list – A simple tool for getting things done is to create a daily “to do” list. Every morning (or night), take a few minutes to jot down 3-5 tasks you want to complete that day (or the next day). Then put your “to do” list where you will frequently see it (on fridge, on your computer, or in your car). This will serve as a constant reminder of things you need to get done that day, plus it just feels good to check things off your list as you complete them. Here’s more about the power of a checklist and how it can help you to stay disciplined and avoid stupid mistakes.

– A simple tool for getting things done is to create a daily “to do” list. Every morning (or night), take a few minutes to jot down 3-5 tasks you want to complete that day (or the next day). Then put your “to do” list where you will frequently see it (on fridge, on your computer, or in your car). This will serve as a constant reminder of things you need to get done that day, plus it just feels good to check things off your list as you complete them. Here’s more about the power of a checklist and how it can help you to stay disciplined and avoid stupid mistakes. Set an alert to remind you – Another great tool for keeping yourself on track is to set an alert on your phone or computer that reminds you of something you need to complete. This serves as a mindful nudge that allows you to step back and re-evaluate what you should be doing right now. For example, you could set an alert in the afternoon that says, “Study for upcoming math exam” or “Don’t forget to email Mom today.” This small reminder will help create an extra sense of urgency and a new opportunity to take action.

– Another great tool for keeping yourself on track is to set an alert on your phone or computer that reminds you of something you need to complete. This serves as a mindful nudge that allows you to step back and re-evaluate what you should be doing right now. For example, you could set an alert in the afternoon that says, “Study for upcoming math exam” or “Don’t forget to email Mom today.” This small reminder will help create an extra sense of urgency and a new opportunity to take action. Transform anxiety into motivation – When we need to get something done, we can often feel anxious about it. While this may cause people to just avoid their responsibilities or push them out of their mind, the truth is anxiety can be very motivating if we embrace it in the right way. Biologically, anxiety and motivation are very similar (both fill us up with adrenaline and activate the “fight or flight” response in our nervous system). The key is to channel your anxiety into action. When you feel yourself get a rush of adrenaline, don’t try to run away or avoid it, but embrace it and use it as energy to take action. In many ways, that’s what having a healthy sense of urgency is all about.

– When we need to get something done, we can often feel anxious about it. While this may cause people to just avoid their responsibilities or push them out of their mind, the truth is anxiety can be very motivating if we embrace it in the right way. Biologically, anxiety and motivation are very similar (both fill us up with adrenaline and activate the “fight or flight” response in our nervous system). The key is to channel your anxiety into action. When you feel yourself get a rush of adrenaline, don’t try to run away or avoid it, but embrace it and use it as energy to take action. In many ways, that’s what having a healthy sense of urgency is all about. Know when it’s time to step back – While being motivated and taking action is important, there’s also times when we should just step back, relax, and rejuvenate ourselves. Relaxation is a necessary component to productivity overall, and there’s no need to become a super busy “workaholic.” Remember to find a balance between “stepping forward” and “stepping back,” and there’s nothing wrong with entering your comfort zone and letting yourself unwind and de-stress.

Overall, creating a healthy “sense of urgency” is essential for getting things done, being a more productive person, and actually achieving your goals. Without it, we risk letting time pass us by – and before we know it there’s no more time left to do what we want to do.

Take advantage of the present. Do it now or never.



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