Doing nothing is a strategy
Doing nothing is a strategy.
Many years ago a friend of mine was in a real pickle with his business and his business partner absolved himself of any responsibility to creditors and staff, by doing nothing. It was a cheap and low-rent tactic, but it worked.
Personally, I’ve been on the receiving end of this far more than I have been the practitioner of it. The context is usually endeavouring to garner a response (or even restitution) when I’ve been due it. And the response is silence. It has had sufficient impact that I thought I’d share it - and if you’re in a pickle - it could be on the table as an option.
In the hyper-connected world we live in, it can be easy to fall into the trap of feeling like everything needs to be responded to. In reality:
* You don’t need to answer every question someone asks you
* You can ignore some emails (also, repetitive and unwanted sales calls can be ignored)
* Taking time to step back from a heated/pressing issue can help re-centre on what's really important and re-group with a better outcome
* Repeated demands for restitution to a conflict or issue can be, well, ignored (while I don’t necessarily agree with this, it may help you…)
There are drawbacks of course; everything in life has consequences. The issue could drag on for an extended period, leaving you in a state of uncertainty or out of pocket. Or both. If you want the relationship with the party involved in the ignoring, consider avoiding this strategy as it may damage the relationship.
Personally I prefer a resolution and being able to move on, but that may not be possible. In this context, ignore and delete may be appropriate!
Cheers,
Josh
"There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all."
– Peter Drucker
Let’s move from nothing to everything: Tool I’m loving to better utilise my time
If you’re anything like me, you may be struggling to maintain focus in the ‘distraction economy’ we live in today. I have been working on a technique that's proving incredibly effective! Have you heard of the Pomodoro technique?
This technique has been a game-changer for me. Essentially, it breaks down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. This approach not only boosts my focus but also ensures regular rest, preventing burnout.
I've found that dedicating those uninterrupted 25 minutes to a single task, without the temptation to multitask or drift off is game-changing. And the perfect tool is something like this: an up and down timer, available from AliExpress or similar - around $20 for a good one.
I’ve found I’m able to now extend my periods of focus for up to 45 minutes, meaning my productivity is through the roof!
