I often work better when I’m ‘under the gun’.
Sometimes, when I’m not, I tend to focus on other tasks or projects – even if they’re less important.
Urgency can be a positive thing, as long as it doesn’t unbalance your ability to gauge what is most important.
It’s not always easy to focus on the most important thing when that thing is not urgent.
Nor is it easy to manufacture a sense of urgency, as opposed to say, a hard external deadline from your boss.
In these situations, having a coach, colleague, friend, or other similar accountability partner can help to keep you appropriately ‘under the gun’.
Matt Fried 