Friday Forward - Only Now (#509)
When we lose attention, we lose intention
Last year, I attended a conference featuring a psychiatrist named Dr. Ned Hallowell as a keynote speaker. Ned is one of the world’s leading experts on ADHD, having written more than twenty books on the subject. His best-known book, Driven to Distraction, helped reshape how millions of people understand and manage attention challenges.
Ned’s talk was packed with insights, but one comment has stuck with me more than anything else. He said:
“For someone with ADHD, there are only two times to do something: now and not now.”
It sounds like a throwaway line, but it carries real weight.
Notice that neither of Ned’s two options is “later.” That’s because, for people with ADHD, delayed tasks usually aren’t just postponed, they disappear entirely. If something isn’t acted on in the moment, there’s a good chance it won’t happen at all.
That phrase, now or not now, has stayed with me. I’ve used it in leadership conversations and, more frequently, with my kids. When I say it, I make the implication explicit: if you don’t do it now, you need to acknowledge the real possibility that you’ll never do it at all.
I would also argue that this phrase doesn’t just apply to people with ADHD. It’s relevant to almost everyone in our always-on world. We may not all have diagnosed attention challenges, but we are all managing a historically unprecedented flood of stimuli and distractions.
Each day, we’re hit with emails, texts, pings, and calendar reminders, and every notification appears equally important on a screen. In this deluge, important but non-urgent tasks fall through the cracks. Following up with a colleague. Registering for an event. Sending a thank-you note. Confirming an appointment. Checking in on someone going through a tough time. These are the kinds of things we say we’ll do later, but later eventually becomes never.
When we lose attention, we lose intention.
That’s why there’s power in choosing to act right away. When a task is meaningful and quick, doing it immediately clears space in our minds, builds momentum and improves our credibility. Becoming known as someone who is fast and reliable, no matter what is needed, pays dividends as a young professional, a seasoned leader, a friend, a family member or a partner.
This mindset simply requires recognizing that delay is a form of decision-making. It’s easy to say, “I’ll get to it later.” But we know those words are often an empty promise.
To avoid falling into the “not now” abyss, I recommend a simple framework. Any time you are asked to do something or are considering a task, start by asking yourself: is this important to do?
If the task is not important, quickly move on. In some cases, that means declining someone else’s ask. I’ve written extensively about how to do that respectfully and shared my templates.
But if the task is important, take one of these steps:
If the task can be done immediately and with minimal effort, do it now. Don’t procrastinate. Get it done and off your desk.
If the task cannot be done well right away—for example, if it requires deep thinking, heavy preparation, or a lot of time—don’t rush it. Instead, block off time in your calendar to get it done before it becomes urgent, and set an electronic reminder. When that reminder hits, get it done during the allotted time. If you delay again, the chance of getting it done diminishes significantly, so you shouldn’t allow yourself to push it off to “later”.
I’ve adopted this framework over the years and, as a result, I rarely let something fall through the cracks. When I think of a task, or am asked to do something, I either make the time to do it that day or make sure the next step lands on my calendar, in my inbox (which I keep below 50 emails) or on my to-do list. It’s a failsafe system that involves emailing myself at least 10 times a day.
Next time you catch yourself saying “I’ll get to that later,” try this line:
“When I say later, I probably mean never.”
That honestly can help you decide if it’s something that you can afford to leave undone.
Quote of The Week
“Now is the only time we have.” – Richard Branson
Have a great weekend!
-Bob
robertglazer.com
New! The Friday Forward Resource Vault
Over the years I have shared many resources and frameworks in my work, and leaders often reach out requesting specific ones later. My team and I created our new Resource Vault, which contains links to all the different practices and systems I have shared over the years. While some are reserved for Friday Forward Premium subscribers, several resources are available for everyone.
I really like the concept of “now and not now”—it makes perfect sense for asynchronous communication like email. However, I’ve noticed some people try to apply it in meetings, which can be counterproductive. For instance, during a 1:1 or group meeting, I might ask someone for information, and they immediately start looking it up. While well-intentioned, it often distracts them from the rest of the conversation.