Intentional Indifference: The Skill of Appearing to Desire It

Your New Spin:

Hey there! Curious about knowing what really matters to someone? It ain't always about what they yack on about. They can drone on and on, but that doesn't always signify it's top priority. The true test of importance is seen when they actually do something about it.

Remember that story I chanced upon in John C. Maxwell's book Developing the Leader Within You (1993 edition)? It's about a young violinist who learned the hard way that if she wanted to excel and be outstanding, she had to reshuffle her practice routine.

She admitted that after she tackled her daily chores, she would practice her violin. But here's the kicker, by the time she got to practice, her energy and motivation were zapped. So, she tried an experiment. Instead of doing chores before practicing, she decided tofinish her practice first and then tackle the chores. Turns out, she became a successful young prodigy.

This story hit home for me and got me thinking about how I was arranging my life and what it said about what was important to me.

Writing is my jam, but I realized I was shoving my writing time into the cracks of my day. Most of that time occurred when I was drained or couldn't give it my undivided attention. My productivity was pan lescent and the ideas weren't flowing.

The violinist's tale prompted me to take a long, hard look at my schedule and decide to schedule my writing like it was a priority, not just talk about how important it was to me.

Noticing that my highest energy levels came in the morning, I scrutinized my morning routine to see if there was anything I could alter to grant me the writing time I desired. As I dug deeper, I noticed something unusual.

Normally, I'd shower in the morning and get ready for work, gobbling up all my time until I had to leave. But I couldn't tweak the time I reported to work, so I realized if I rose a tad earlier and showered at night, I could use that time for writing.

I gave it a whirl.

At first, it was rough. It was tough getting accustomed to going to workwithout taking a shower, and it was hard adjusting to an earlier bedtime,but the payoff was priceless.

I started getting more done. I made some impressive strides in drafting, and I could employ that morning time when my brain is most active to generate more ideas and sharpen my writing skills.

I'm still on this roll. I discovered I prefer showering at night because it helps me unwind for my early bedtime. I also feel better about my skills and progress because I'm giving my all to what's important to me during my peak hours. It's been a move I don't regret and has resulted in fantastic rewards since.

Now, take a look at your life and your creative ventures. What crazy dream have you always had, but never got around to? What projects seem almost impossible to squeeze in because they're smothered by all the "must-do" activities in your life? Are there things you could postpone until you've made time for yourself to work on your dreams and aspirations? What sacrifices could you make to make these things happen?

Take some time today and jot down the answers to these questions. Make a plan to choose something on your list and fit it into your schedule. Postpone everything else until that thing is done. Try it for a week and see how you feel. Are you pleased with your progress? How can you adjust your schedule to make your chosen priority fit better? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Julian, K. (2017, June 02). Planned Neglect. Retrieved July 20, 2020, from https://liveitforward.com/planned-neglect/

Maxwell, J. C. (1993). Developing the Leader Within You. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Planned neglect is about picking and choosing what you focus on by intentionally ignoring less important things. It's a tactic that aids in prioritizingresources and time effectively, especially when it comes to creative projects. This approach helps by...

Prioritizing Core Tasks:

Focus on the tasks that significantly impact the success of your creative project. By focusing your efforts here, you'll make the most of your time and energy.

Neglecting Non-Essential Tasks:

Be willing to let go of tasks that don't contribute significantly to your project's success. This might include tasks that are time-consuming but not crucial to the project's core objectives.

Efficient Resource Allocation:

By focusing on high-impact tasks, you can allocate your resources more efficiently. This means ensuring that your valuable time, energy, and other resources are used in a way that maximizes their impact on your creative project.

Reducing Overcommitting:

Planned neglect helps prevent overcommitting by setting realistic boundaries and expectations. This reduces stress and increases the chances of successfully completing your most important tasks.

Enhancing Creativity and Innovation:

By focusing on a few critical tasks, you can minimize distractions and create a productive environment for creativity and innovation. It also helps you engage in deep work sessions that foster creativity and problem-solving.

To implement planned neglect effectively, consider these strategies:

Set clear goals for your creative project and identify the key tasks that will help you achieve them.
Prioritize your tasks using tools like the Eisenhower Matrix.
Use task management tools to visualize your tasks and prioritize them based on their impact on your project.
Regularly review and adjust your priorities to ensure you stay focused on what matters most.

By embracing planned neglect, you can optimize your productivity and ensure that your creative projects receive the attention they deserve to succeed.

Effective prioritization of resources and time, a practice known as planned neglect, can aid in the accomplishment of creative projects. This method, by focusing on core tasks while intentionally neglecting non-essential ones, allows for efficient allocation of resources and reduction of overcommitment. This, in turn, enhances creativity, innovation, and the chances of project success. To practice planned neglect effectively, set clear goals, prioritize tasks, use task management tools, and regularly review priorities.