PMP #282: Do it now and be done!

A little while ago, I was given some feedback about myself that I found quite interesting. A friend of mine had reached out asking if I could contribute a message to a farewell book he was preparing for an old mutual employer. Not wanting to hold him up, but also, not wanting this to hang over me either, I wrote something up and sent it back. My friend then came back to me with the following feedback:

It's funny - you replied instantly. I've only had 3 replies from about 50-60 people I've contacted. I've had more than that for people who love the idea and will reply by the deadline...but I love that you just did it instantly. Another person who runs their own business now did the same. I think it says something :P

This got me thinking… it’s quite common for me to deal with tasks or requests in real-time as they come in. But based on my friend's feedback, it sounds like it’s more common for people to postpone things until later.