Real Urgency

Real Urgency

Coming back from my time off, I told a colleague how refreshing it was to truly disconnect.

They replied with wisdom we often overlook: “I’m glad you did. Nothing would have warranted you doing work during your time away. All these deadlines are made up; it’s fake urgency.”

Fake urgency.

Those words lingered. They made me ask, “So what’s real urgency?”

We all know it, but sometimes we forget.

Real urgency is the irreplaceable stuff. It’s giving time and undivided attention to family and friends. It’s savoring a walk outside. It’s all the things that will still matter to you years from now?—?it’s the moments you will cherish.?

Responding to work messages might feel pressing in the moment, but will I look back fondly on that choice? Probably not.

But the time I spent with family, the conversations where I was fully present, the walks where I observed the world instead of my screen?—?all these things are priceless.


The Daily Spark exists for two reasons:

  1. To document one idea every day that I've found helpful in my life.
  2. To inspire you to discover what matters most and to take action towards it.

Reading subscription: LinkedIn, Substack,?and Medium.

Audio subscription: Spotify, Anchor, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Google Podcasts, and RadioPublic.

About me:

I'm a second-generation Taiwanese American trying to find life’s greatest sources of meaning and make the most out of it

要查看或添加评论,请登录

William Liao的更多文章

  • Hofstadter's Law

    Hofstadter's Law

    I have come to accept that I will rarely accomplish 100% of the things I start the day thinking I can do. It’s…

  • If most things are overblown...

    If most things are overblown...

    If you can agree with the premise that most problems are overblown?—?especially in hindsight?—?then you have every…

  • The necessity of downtime

    The necessity of downtime

    At least 30% of the time when I sit down to write, it quickly becomes clear that I have no idea what to write yet. My…

  • Chiah-pa?

    Chiah-pa?

    In East Asian cultures, notably in Taiwan where I frequently visit extended family, we inquire about another’s well…

  • My Dune Dilemma

    My Dune Dilemma

    Dune: Part Two is a hard film to watch. Not because the story is bad?—?I think it’s good.

  • Lingering

    Lingering

    Today’s Daily Spark is sparked by ideas from philosopher Byung-Chul Han’s essay ‘The Scent of Time’. Ever since my…

  • Painted door jams

    Painted door jams

    The further upmarket you go, the more attention automobile manufacturers will be inclined to pay towards small…

  • Rainy and...

    Rainy and...

    At a previous job, we were about to lose one of our biggest clients. I asked the team leader in a panicked voice: “Hey,…

  • Knowledge Fast

    Knowledge Fast

    The pursuit of knowledge is generally perceived to be an incontrovertibly good thing, and yet the thought of consuming…

  • The evolving premise

    The evolving premise

    The motivation for daylight savings made some sense at when it was introduced: It would reduce the need for artificial…

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了