The Tyranny of the Urgent

Abstract

Have you ever wished for a thirty-hour day? Surely this extra time would relieve the tremendous pressu re under which we live. Our lives leave a trail of unfinishe d tasks. Unanswered letters, unvisited friends, unread books haunt quiet moments when we stop to evaluate what we have accomplished. We desperately need relief. But would that longer day really solve our problem ? Wouldn't we soon be just as frustrated as we are no w with our twenty-four-hour allotment? We could hardly esc ape Parkinson's Principle: Work expands to fill all the available time. Nor will the passage of time necessarily help us catch up. Children grow in number and age to requir more of our time. Greater experience in profession and c hurch brings more demanding assignments. We find ourselve working more and enjoying it less.