Never Now
A colleague recently introduced me to the concept of the “Never Now” list.
This consists of the items on your to-do list that you never get to. It is the list of projects that you know deep down you won’t complete, yet you rationalize you will….someday. Unfortunately, this is a someday that rarely comes.
Your “never now” list is a list of great intentions but broken promises.
I realized I have several “to do” items that are actually on my “never now” list. This includes at least one project that I inherited from my mother that she inherited from her mother. It is a multi-generational unfinished project (UFO in crafting circles) that is clearly a “never now” item on my to-do list. It is a project that I need to complete – or discard – but not let languish for another generation.
I recently worked for an organization with an embedded culture of creating to-do lists that were actually “never now” lists. It had elevated the concept of “never now” to a whole new level. Items were put on lists and routinely discussed, often weekly, yet never completed. There were no actual due dates and no consequences for delay. As a result, items stayed on lists for years with little or no action. Items were routinely added to lists simply because individuals were reluctant to say no – or yes.
When management is unwilling to make hard decisions, organizations often suffer from organizational constipation. This is defined in the Urban Dictionary as: “When an organization cannot get shit done because of back log and/or inefficiency.”
Delaying action indefinitely is dysfunctional, but is it unethical?
It can be.
All of us put off action on certain items at times. Sometimes, we lack information; sometimes, we lack time. We may have other priorities.
This is normal; however, delaying action can become an ethical issue when it impacts others.
The classic is when “I’m going to do it …. sometime.” is actually code for “I’m not going to do it, but I’m not going to tell you.”
That is lying and that is unethical.
Related Resources:
In case you are interested, my “never now” UFO is a quilt top – in pieces. Since UFOs are a common issue for crafters, there are a number of articles on the web with suggestions for addressing them. Tips to Get Those UFOs (Unfinished Objects & Projects) Done is one with advice that is useful for addressing other types of “never now” projects as well.
In the last newsletter, I mentioned the book Start Finishing by Charlie Gilkey. His takeaway from Chapter 3: “You have to let go of projects and ideas that aren’t allowing you to thrive so you can trade up to the projects that do.”
