The morning felt like a stubborn car in the middle of winter. A planner overflowed with undone tasks, and the mind buzzed with many yet to be written down. There’s a particular enjoyment when a coworker calls my name, requesting a fix or a solution to a problem. It serves a dual purpose: distraction from the current workload and a boost to feelings of usefulness. Some can relate to this experience – the joy of assisting others contrasting sharply with the pain of tackling immediate, even simple, tasks. This condition is often labeled procrastination. Why is it so challenging to act now, when required or in one’s best interest?
Upon reflection, it seems there’s a stronger compulsion to act when directly addressed by someone else. This thought led to the question of whether some success could be found through this approach if it was directed internally. There have been past instances where self-talk yielded a degree of lasting success, albeit with a slight concern about appearing unconventional. Perhaps this could be a viable method for improving focus and productivity: transforming all tasks into questions. So, instead of “call in for a prescription,” the entries became, “Will you call in your prescription today?” or “Can you call in your prescription today?” Surprisingly, out of ten listed tasks, nine were completed. Could better questions manifest better results?
Are we simple enough to be able to trick into self-accountability? The idea seems to have some evidence. We are built for community and difficult tasks become more manageable with company and when a request is involved. This feels like a good, perhaps even excellent, idea. Maybe giving this inner child a name would further solidify it. Let’s call him Kurtis. When planning for Farm Bureau, an entry might read, “Kurtis, could you call a youth driver today?” It’s uncertain whether Curtis might be too immature or stubborn, but it’s worth trying to see if simply asking yields positive results.
It’s Saturday at the Putt, and this self-management technique feels even more encouraging than before. If a “yes man,” then being the right kind of “yes man” is key. This is intriguing because being a “yes man” is typically viewed negatively, as a sign of weakness. However, perhaps being a “yes man” to the right person can lead to significant success. This raises the question: who is the right person? The answer is oneself. It’s easy to agree to others’ requests while neglecting one’s own. Is it because our tasks are less important? No, it’s because our tasks are not requests.
The same joy is felt upon completing self-initiated tasks. It seems that sometimes we attempt to tell ourselves to do something or we give ourselves punishment or reward, but rarely do we make a sincerely honest request. There are individuals in one’s life whose every request would be met with an immediate “yes.” Could one become that person for oneself? The person who receives an unwavering affirmative response every time? It seems possible.
So, if you can envision yourself saying “yes” to yourself, then why not ask? If you can’t then what kind of person needs to be cultivated so yes is easy? What qualities, intentions, and goals would inspire self-respect and a willingness to comply with one’s own requests? Conversely, it’s important to avoid becoming the kind of person who elicits resistance – someone who asks too much, phrases requests demeaningly or insultingly, or demonstrates a clear lack of understanding of the person being asked.
Two ideas can be safely extracted. Be a person you would ask to help you, and then ask. Ask not just as a laborer, but a partner. Ask about everything. Goals, tasks, intentions, attitude, and anything that may help you become a more Christ-like creation. Most of us hate being told what to do, so why would you do it to yourself?
The questions. Just like a command, a poor question can also get the same procrastinated response. So the emphasis must be on asking smart questions. I think the acronym stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and within a timeframe. So when I ask a question, it must be specific and measurable. I must be able to attain or answer that question. It must be aimed properly and with a deadline.
Each question must check all these boxes. You must also trust yourself. You don’t answer honestly the questions asked but an untrustworthy person. So the same would be true for yourself. It is easier to escape our own inquiry. This is much easier on paper. I am not the first to say it, anything worth having doesn’t come easy
Nos & Rehtaf, Dnabsuh 