Recalibrating Urgency: How to Stop the Culture of Now from Hijacking Your Life

Does every email, text, and Slack message feel like an emergency? You’re not imagining it—modern work culture trains us to treat everything as urgent. But Juliet Funt’s A Minute to Think reveals that most urgency is hallucinated, not real. The dopamine rush from reacting quickly makes us addicted to the cycle, but the cost is lost focus, chronic stress, and shallow work.

Funt’s solution is the 'Yellow List'—a simple tool for batching non-urgent questions and communications. Instead of interrupting yourself (or others) with every small request, jot it down and address it all at once. This technique alone can reclaim hours and restore your sense of control. She also recommends regular 'white space' blocks—protected time for deep work and reflection—and learning to distinguish true emergencies from mere noise.

One manager implemented the Yellow List and saw team interruptions drop by 40%. Another professional found that by setting clear boundaries on their availability, they not only got more done, but also felt less anxious and more in control.

The takeaway? You don’t have to be a victim of urgency culture. With a few simple tools and a mindset shift, you can protect your focus, reclaim your time, and finally get a minute to think.
Sources: A Minute to Think by Juliet Funt; LeaderChat interview; Next Big Idea Club