Why does everything feel urgent?

I wake up in the morning and immediately want to check notifications

It's a burning desire.

I want to know what news I missed.

But why?

Why does it feel so good?

Why do we get so much dopamine from scattering ourselves and beating ourselves like a taskmaster?

If I wait 3-4 hours before checking, it's very uncomfortable.

Tortuous boredom.

My mind feels discomfort like an untamed starving beast.

During this time, I don't enjoy my existence.

What an absolute absurd feeling.

But if I remain patient, the feeling goes away.

If I persist, just wait a few hours, then that burning feeling to check everything goes away, and in it wake comes deep calmness and centeredness.

Then the rest of the day goes smoother, from a position of strength and control.

I'll end up making better decisions, acting calmer, being more disciplined, and overall happier.

It sets the tone right for the entire day.

Most things aren't that urgent.

We trick ourselves into thinking everything is important and urgent; it feels like the world is burning around us, and for some reason, it is our job to rush around with our pants down quenching these flames.

But that is just not the case.

Importance and urgency, is in fact, determined by us.

Of course, objectively, arugably, some things are, in fact, more important and urgent than others.

But in general, our ability to distinguish between the two, to set clear healthy boundaries on what actually needs our direct attention, is embarassibly weak.

Our ability to prioritize and focus and maintain a sense of calm is an undeveloped and overlooked skill.

In order to accomplish anything meaningful in this world, it is essential to master this skill.

Everything is begging for our attention. The universe and its problems are infinite.

But our attention and abilities are finite.

We must, with deep care, protect ourselves, our attention, our time, and our prioritization.

You build a castle by focusing on placing one stone at a time, not by running around naked in the forest chasing nymphs and picking flowers.

Not everything is urgent and important. Protect your attention and time and energy.

I love you.

Warm Regards,

Jacob Pugmire