Have you ever started your day with a clear plan, ready to tackle everything on your list, and then—bam!—one small interruption throws you off course? Suddenly, it feels like every task is screaming, “Do me now!” Before you know it, you’re scrambling to figure out what to do first, and it’s like your to-do list has taken over your day.

Why does this happen? Why does everything suddenly feel so urgent, even when it’s not?

We all know we should focus on the important things, but those “urgent” tasks have a way of grabbing hold and not letting go. We’ve all been there—jumping on emails the second they hit our inbox, rushing to respond to a client request, or feeling the pull of a time-limited sale we just can’t ignore. It’s like urgency hijacks our day.

Here’s the thing: this isn’t happening because you’re disorganized or bad at time management. The truth is, our brains are hard-wired to respond to urgency—it’s almost impossible to resist. This response, called the “Mere Urgency Effect,” explains why we often get caught up in tasks that feel pressing but aren’t actually important.

Think about this: you’re shopping online, and you see, “Only 3 hours left to save 50%!” Even if you weren’t planning to buy anything, suddenly it feels urgent. That same pull shows up in your work life, too. 

You might have a big project that needs thoughtful attention, but as soon as an “urgent” email or request pops up, your brain jumps into action mode, leaving you constantly putting out fires instead of making real progress.

This cycle is exhausting. It keeps us busy, but not productive. And the tricky part? Those urgent tasks are often much less valuable than they seem in the moment.

So, how do we break free and take back control of our time? That’s what I want to cover today. We’ll dive into the Mere Urgency Effect, the brain science behind it, how it shows up in daily life, and, most importantly, how to manage it.

Let’s start with what the Mere Urgency Effect actually is and why it’s so hard to resist.

The Mere Urgency Effect Explained

You know that feeling when you sit down to work on something important, and just as you’re getting into it, your phone buzzes or an email pops up, and suddenly, you’re off track? It’s like whatever just came in feels so urgent, you have to handle it right away—even though, deep down, you know it’s not that important. 

That’s what’s known as the Mere Urgency Effect.  So, what is the Mere Urgency Effect? Basically, it’s our brain’s annoying habit of prioritizing things that feel urgent—even when they’re not really important. 

It’s like when you’re in the middle of a big project, and your phone alerts you to a “flash sale” that’s ending in an hour. You weren’t even thinking about shopping, but now you’re tempted to stop everything because, well, the deal is about to end.

Our brains are wired for this kind of reaction. It’s a leftover survival instinct from way back when we had to respond immediately to actual threats, like wild animals or dangerous weather. 

But nowadays, it’s more about reacting to every notification, email, or “limited-time offer” that comes our way. The problem is, we’re tricked into thinking everything that seems urgent needs our attention right now.

Let me tell you a funny story. I had set aside an entire morning to work on a big project. It was one of those high-impact tasks that needed my full focus. I was ready to dive in, and then my phone buzzed with a notification from Bath & Body Works—there was a “One-Day Only Sale” on candles. 

Now, I love their candles, so of course, I felt this little pull to check it out. I told myself, “It’s only today.”. Next thing you know, I spent 30 minutes buying candles I didn’t even need. 

And just as I was about to get back to work, my email pinged with a client question. It wasn’t urgent, but I thought, I’ll just answer this real quick. Long story short, that project barely got touched.

I got totally caught up in the Mere Urgency Effect. I let those small, “urgent” things take over, and the important stuff got pushed to the side. 

And let’s be honest, we’ve all been there—whether it’s checking emails the second they come in or tackling small tasks just to feel like we’re getting something done. It’s like we’re constantly busy, but we’re not making real progress on what truly matters.

The issue is that those little urgent tasks often give us a quick sense of accomplishment, which feels good in the moment. But in reality, we’re just putting out tiny fires, not building anything significant. So how do we stop this cycle?

The first step is understanding why we’re so drawn to these urgent distractions. Let’s dig into the brain science behind it and figure out why it feels so hard to resist.

The Brain Science Behind Why Everything Seems Urgent

Let’s break down why everything feels urgent, even when it’s not. I’ve mentioned this before on the podcast, but your lower, primitive brain, the part I like to call the “Toddler brain,” craves instant gratification and reacts in the moment. It’s not thinking about long-term goals—it just wants to feel good or fix something now.

When a notification pops up or a deadline looms, your Toddler brain kicks in, reacting instantly. Tackling a quick task gives you a small dopamine hit—the brain’s reward chemical—which feels great in the moment. 

This “quick win” satisfaction keeps you chasing after small, urgent tasks, even when they don’t move the needle on what truly matters.

Here’s the catch: this instinct made sense when we had to react quickly to survive, but today, it leads to jumping from task to task without focusing on what’s important. For example, you might drop a major project to respond to a non-urgent email, simply because it feels pressing in the moment.

Recognizing this pattern in your brain is the first step toward taking control. But how does this brain response actually play out in our everyday work lives? Let’s take a closer look.

How the Mere Urgency Effect Shows Up in Daily Life

Now that you understand how the brain’s hardwiring can pull you into urgent tasks, let’s talk about how this plays out day to day. It’s that feeling of running around all day, checking things off your list, only to end the day realizing you didn’t make any real progress. That’s the Mere Urgency Effect in action.

This effect tricks us into mistaking busyness for productivity. You might spend hours answering emails, thinking, “I’m getting so much done!” But when you look back, those emails could have waited, and the critical project requiring your focus remains untouched.

Our brains often confuse urgency with importance. A Slack message or email notification grabs your attention because it feels pressing, even if it’s not truly significant. This cycle of reacting to urgent-but-unimportant tasks can leave you stuck on a hamster wheel, constantly busy but not moving forward on what matters.

For accountants, this challenge is magnified by constant deadlines. Monthly closings, tax season, and client demands all feel urgent, making it hard to prioritize effectively. Imagine sitting down to prepare for a major client presentation only to get derailed by a less critical email or a quick team update. By the end of the day, the high-impact task hasn’t even started.

Breaking free from this cycle begins with recognizing the Mere Urgency Effect for what it is—a distraction from meaningful work. Once you’re aware of how it influences your choices, you can start to regain control. Let’s explore how to do that next.

What to Do About the Urgency Effect

Breaking free from the urgency trap starts with awareness. Think about the last time you sat down to work on something important, like preparing a client presentation or finalizing a month-end report. You were ready to dive in, but then a “quick” email popped up, or a colleague stopped by with a question. 

Before you knew it, half an hour had passed, and you hadn’t even started the task you planned to focus on. That’s the urgency effect at work—pulling your attention to what feels pressing instead of what truly matters.

The key to taking control is pausing. When you feel the pull of urgency, stop and ask yourself, “Is this really important, or does it just feel like I have to do it now?” This moment of pause gives you space to evaluate your priorities instead of reacting automatically. 

For example, when a client emails you with a non-urgent question while you’re reviewing a tax return with a tight deadline, pausing allows you to recognize that the return takes priority, and the email can wait until later.

Once you’ve paused, the next step is reframing your thoughts. Instead of thinking, “If I don’t answer this now, I’ll fall behind,” try something like, “This can wait while I focus on what’s most important.” 

Reframing helps you quiet that inner voice that tells you everything needs your attention immediately. For accountants, this can mean consciously choosing to let emails or less-critical client requests sit until you’ve completed a high-impact task.

Let’s look at another example. Imagine it’s close to the end of the month, and you’re balancing multiple responsibilities: preparing financial statements, responding to client questions, and managing last-minute team updates. Everything feels urgent. 

But if you pause and think it through, you might realize that while answering client questions feels pressing, completing the financial statements is the most important task because it affects your firm’s deadlines. By reframing your thoughts—“I can circle back to these questions after I finish the statements”—you give yourself permission to stay focused on the bigger priority.

This process of pausing and reframing becomes even more effective when you pair it with a clear plan. At the start of your day, take five minutes to outline your top priorities. Ask yourself, “What will make the biggest difference today?” Then, when something urgent-feeling pops up, you can remind yourself of the plan you already made.

For instance, if a team member messages you with a last-minute question while you’re working on a tax projection, you can respond with, “Let’s discuss this later—I’m wrapping up something critical right now.”

The goal isn’t to ignore everything that feels urgent but to consciously decide when and how to address it. Practicing this process takes time, but the more you pause, reframe, and stick to your plan, the easier it gets. 

You’ve already heard me talk about the Supervising Parent part of your brain—it’s all about letting that calm, rational side take charge instead of reacting to every distraction.

So, the next time you feel the pull of urgency, remember: pausing is powerful. It’s not about doing less but about doing what truly matters. 

With practice, you’ll notice a shift—you’ll feel more in control, less rushed, and far more productive. And that’s how you start breaking free from the urgency trap.

Practical Strategies to Manage Urgency

Let’s talk about some practical strategies to manage urgency. One of the best ways to manage it is to take a page out of an emergency room’s playbook. Think about it—ER doctors deal with urgency all day, but they don’t just jump into action for every case that comes through the door. They use triage to decide what needs immediate attention and what can wait. 

You can do the same with your tasks by asking, “What’s truly important here, and what can wait?” This small habit can save you from constantly reacting to every notification or request.

Once you’ve got that mindset, time blocking becomes a lifesaver. It’s like making appointments with yourself for the most important work. Set aside time specifically for high-impact tasks, and treat it like a meeting you wouldn’t cancel. 

The beauty of time blocking is that it helps you focus on what matters most while giving you permission to set aside distractions. Even when other things pop up that feel urgent, you can remind yourself, “This time is already spoken for.”

Prioritizing is just as crucial. At the start of your day—or better yet, the night before—ask yourself, “What will make the biggest difference in the long run?” 

Write down those priorities and commit to tackling them first. Let the smaller, less important tasks fall into place later. This way, you’re making intentional decisions about your time, rather than letting the day dictate your focus.

These strategies take practice, but they work. The more intentional you are with your time, the easier it gets to break free from that constant rush of urgency. 

You’ll feel more in control, less stressed, and far more productive. Remember, it’s not about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things. 

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Getting A Handle On Urgency

One of the biggest benefits of The Smarter Accountant Time Management Program is getting a better handle on The Mere Urgency Effect. As accountants, no one teaches us how to manage our minds so that we can better manage our time. That’s why I do what I do.

Let me tell you about a client who felt like she was constantly running on fumes. Every day, she dove into emails, client calls, and last-minute requests, but by the end of the day, she was exhausted and frustrated. Despite working nonstop, the most important projects were still untouched. She told me, “I’m busy all the time, but I’m not making real progress.”

When we started working together, she realized how much small, urgent-seeming tasks were hijacking her focus. Emails and quick client questions felt pressing, but most of them could wait. The game-changer for her was learning to pause and ask herself, “Do I need to handle this now, or can it wait while I focus on what’s truly important?”

We also implemented time blocking for her high-priority tasks. At first, it felt strange to let some things wait, but she quickly saw the difference. Those “urgent” tasks weren’t as critical as they seemed, and for the first time in years, she made real progress on her big projects.

After a few weeks, she told me, “I finally feel in control of my time.” She was calmer, more productive, and even more present with her family. The constant stress of urgency was gone, and she felt like she had her life back.

Her story is proof that you don’t have to stay stuck in the urgency trap. When you pause, focus on what matters, and let the small stuff wait, you can take back your time and energy. If she could do it, so can you.

I hope you can see that while everything may seem urgent, it doesn’t have to be.  

Let’s wrap up with a key takeaway and a simple question to help you apply what you’ve learned.

Key Takeaway and Action Item

The key takeaway is that the Mere Urgency Effect can easily trick you into spending your time on tasks that feel pressing but aren’t truly important. By becoming aware of this effect and learning to reframe your thoughts, you can break free from the constant cycle of urgency. This allows you to focus on what truly matters, leading to a more productive and less stressful day.

This week ask yourself, “Is this task truly important, or does it just feel urgent?”

This question is crucial because it helps you pause and evaluate your actions before diving into a task. By asking this, you’re training your brain to distinguish between urgency and importance, which is the first step toward managing your time more effectively. 

This simple question can be a game-changer in how you approach your day and make decisions about where to invest your energy.

I promise you, everything is NOT urgent, even though it seems that way.

Well, that’s what I have for you.  Thank you for joining me as I discussed why everything seems urgent and what to do about it.  I hope you’ve learned something that you can begin to apply in your career or in your personal life.

As I share all the time, you worked hard to become an accountant; it’s time to make it easier to be one.

So if you are struggling with any aspect of being an accountant, you can simply go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar and book a free session with me.

And make sure you check back each week as I help you go from being a stressed accountant to a Smarter Accountant.

Make sure you go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com and take The Smarter Accountant Quiz. You’re going to want to know if you’ve been underutilizing your accountant brain so that you have a starting point for becoming a Smarter Accountant.

Also, I would appreciate it if you could get the word out to other accountants about this podcast.  The more accountants find out about it, the more we can begin to change the narrative in the accounting profession.

The truth is that you’re already smart, but this podcast will show you how to be smarter.