There’s an unspoken rule in many workplaces: If something is urgent for one person, it should instantly become urgent for everyone else. The assumption that someone else’s urgency should automatically change your priorities.
This shows up in last-minute meeting requests, emails labeled “ASAP,” and messages demanding immediate response. The underlying expectation is clear: because I’m in a rush, you should drop what you’re doing. But here’s the truth, grounded in both experience and behavioral research: Your urgency does not automatically rewrite my priorities.
Urgency is not the same as importance
When someone communicates in a rush, it often carries an emotional undertone. If you don’t respond now, you’re not being helpful or committed. But this logic is flawed.
Urgency is often a symptom of poor planning, misplaced ownership, or, worse yet, raising panic. Needless to say, it doesn’t always reflect the strategic value of the task. And when leaders and teams consistently surrender their time to others’ unfiltered urgency, focus, performance, and energy suffer.
The psychology behind urgency pressure
Researchers have found that people are biased toward completing urgent tasks over important ones. This is known as the Mere-Urgency Effect. Even when a task has little impact, its urgency makes it feel more deserving of attention. I have noticed myself falling into this trap more times than I’d like to admit.
That means someone else’s last-minute request might override the work you already planned, even if your work is far more valuable. Urgency hijacks decision-making. This is especially damaging in leadership and transformation roles, where sustained focus and strategic thinking are essential.
The hidden cost of switching focus
Shifting priorities constantly in response to external demands comes at a cognitive cost. Each interruption forces your brain to reset. Studies on task switching indicate that these shifts lead to reduced accuracy, slower progress, and increased stress.
When you’re constantly pulled into someone else’s timeline, you’re not only losing time. You’re losing the mental space that deep, meaningful work requires. You know those lion-like leaders that roar instantly when you start even thinking about contacting their developers during high-priority tasks… Those are just safe guarding their developers’ focus time 😉
What does an effective response look like?
Strong leaders don’t ignore others’ urgency, but they also don’t internalize it. Instead, they pause and clarify:
“I see this is important for you. Here’s what I’m currently focused on. Let’s look at whether this needs to move now or if we can plan it in.”
This isn’t cold. It’s responsible. It shows respect for both your time and theirs. Most importantly, it models intentional leadership.
Questions to ask when urgency shows up
Before jumping to help, consider:
- Is this truly urgent, or just late?
- Is it essential that I respond, or am I being used as a means to an end?
- What would I be delaying, and what is the cost of that delay?
These questions create space to make deliberate, values-based decisions.
You can, and you should protect your time!
Some urgencies are valid. Most are inherited. And few are worth derailing your priorities without reflection. It’s not selfish to protect your time. It’s leadership. Your calendar and task list should reflect your purpose, not someone else’s panic.
