![]() The task itself was exactly the same and could be completed in just 3 minutes (meaning even the deadline was meaningless). In one experiment, Zhu gave participants the option of a task with a deadline in 10 minutes or one in 24 hours. Meng Zhu, an associate professor of marketing at Johns Hopkins University discovered that even when faced with identical tasks, we’re more likely to choose the one that feels “urgent”- even if it pays less or we get less in return. However, both of these assume you’re choosing an easier task over something potentially harder. (Which is most likely emails, calls, meetings, and other low-friction tasks). ![]() Then there’s tunnel vision-when you get overwhelmed by your to-do list and opt for what’s most available to you. This explains how our brains chase the “high” we get from crossing off small to-dos from your list. ![]() There are lots of explanations as to why it’s so hard to ignore urgent tasks.įrom a psychological aspect, there’s the completion bias. So how do you balance your long-term goals with the daily onslaught of “urgent” tasks? What is the “urgency bias”? Why your brain is wired to chase short-term needs over long-term goals But spending all day chasing “urgent tasks” can leave you feeling exhausted, unaccomplished, and burnt out. This is bound to happen from time to time. In other words, you’re psychologically predisposed to put off meaningful work in favor of tasks that feel more urgent. How many times have you started the day with a solid plan only to get caught in a whirlwind of emails, calls, meetings, and other “urgent” tasks that take over your entire day? While it’s easy to try to blame this on distraction alone, the truth is that there’s something deeper at play: the “urgency bias.”Ī recent study out of Johns Hopkins Business School found that “ objectively worse options over objectively better options” based on which feels more urgent.
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