In Vaden’s book, he talks about a framework on how to spend your time called the “focus funnel.”
At the top of the funnel are all of the possible tasks you could choose to do. He says that people who “multiply their time” (meaning, they preferentially do SIGNIFICANT things today that free up their time TOMORROW) use elimination, automation, and delegation to filter out most of their tasks. But they also consider a task’s significance when making the decisions (more on this later).
Remember when we discussed the “easy-no” tasks?
Sure you do!
The funnel concept is a great way to handle your “easy-no” tasks. Remember, these are the tasks that don’t have to be done by you, done perfectly, or done at all.
Elimination.
Automation.
Delegation.
What’s interesting is that any remaining tasks that make it past the “focus funnel” then have to be either done now with full concentration…
or done later (meaning, you procrastinate on purpose).
The way you procrastinate on purpose is to put the task back into the top of the focus funnel! What does that mean in real life?
It means, you give yourself permission to ignore it.
You put it out of your mind for now.
It also means that the task might eventually, on repeated passes through the focus funnel, get eliminated/automated/ delegated.
Are you good at ignoring something that is hovering in your mind in order to focus on something that you claim needs your full attention?
Sometimes, I let a stray sock veer me off from a key task.
Or I decide the toilet paper needs to be refilled RIGHT NOW.
Or I organize my kitchen tools. Again.
Arghhhhhh!!
I’m going to take a few hours this weekend and learn how to “multiply my time.”
Question: “In your quest for work-life balance, where will you procrastinate on purpose?”
