Establish An Action Environment, Part 1 (Get Things Done! #52)

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

Our quote for today is from Elbert Hubbard. He said: "The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today."

Today, in the Get Things Done podcast we are looking at Part 1 of Step 9: "Establish An Action Environment" from "Doing It Now: A Twelve Step Program for Curing Procrastination and Achieving Your Goals" by Edwin C. Bliss.

Q: To what extent does the physical environment affect procrastination?

In many cases, it plays a key role; in others it's a minor factor. But it will always encourage or discourage action to some degree, so it must be considered.

Q: What environmental factors are most important in preventing procrastination?

Two of the most important considerations are (1) to have the necessary tools and materials at hand, and (2) to have them organized.

Q: Isn't that first point a truism? Obviously, one cannot do anything without the necessary tools. Why even mention anything so elementary.

Because lack of the proper tools or materials is a very common reason for procrastination. As Sherlock Holmes remarked one time, “The first rule, Watson, is never to overlook the obvious.”

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