Urgency can be manipulated, accelerated, manufactured.  Like bananas, a lot of things keep for a relatively long time unopened and unpeeled. When the wrapper comes off ahead of time, one must act quickly or suffer loss.

Time is the opportunity for action, specifically it is the opportunity to think and choose one’s best action.  Dennis’ mom no longer has time on her side. In fact, the opposite is true. She has only minutes to decide how to best use several days worth of bananas.

In the name of motivation, ‘Banana Peelers’ may often use manufactured urgency in a manipulative manner.  They contrive an “act or lose” situation to get people to do what they want, when they want it. When used judiciously, this can be an effective project management tool. However, for some people this is a ‘preferred behavior’ and their habitual attempts to stampede action will provoke resentment and rebelling behavior – opposite results!

Remember, if every task is urgent, ASAP (as soon as possible), or ‘top priority’, then the strategy of prioritization collapses. One does not achieve to achieve focus and control over effectiveness.

The opposite of the ‘banana peeler’ is the procrastinator. Habitual procrastinators will buy bananas, put off peeling them, and then throw them away once they are rotten. All decisions pertaining to their best use are thereby avoided.

If a person is chronically indecisive, they will also be a procrastinator. On the other hand, procrastination can also be effective if used judiciously.  While some tasks are prerequisite or are ASAP so that we will know their outcome as quickly as possible; other tasks are legitimately postponed ALAP (as late as possible), and for any number of reasons. By policy, I never perform any kind of irreversible computer housekeeping late in the day or when I am tired. I always postpone that kind of maintenance to a time where I am sure to be clear headed and less prone to mistakes. 

Our capacity to evaluate, choose and act is finite. While we value attention to detail, at any point in time there may be more issues in play than our finite capacities can process. Since some issues are vital, we may procrastinate on other items and accept the risk that matters postponed may not work out to our desires.

Contextual knowledge of the project and the work is the key. Is the exact shade of a red paint vital (e.g. a brand recognition issue) or is it a matter where any variant is acceptable.

‘Banana Peeling’ and Procrastination are the complementary vices of habitually manufacturing urgency, and indefinitely postponing decisions.  An excessive preferred behavior cannot be simply dismissed as a ‘management style’, but the judicious use of these two approaches is a valuable tool in the mitigation of risk.