I had never heard of the concept of ‘aging your money’ before. The financial planner I talked to explained that you allow more time between earning and spending money. The idea is to extend the lifespan of each dollar, ensuring that one’s finances are better equipped to handle unexpected expenses or shifts in income.
That made me think this principle also applies to productivity and task management. By “aging your tasks” and allowing more time between when a task arrives on your list and when it’s completed, you can achieve better results with less effort.
At first, this approach may seem counterintuitive. Delaying tasks can feel inefficient in a world where instant results are often equated with productivity. Shouldn’t we strive to finish each task as quickly as possible? Surprisingly, the answer is no. Completing tasks immediately isn’t always the most strategic way to use your time. The reality is that the likelihood of the task in front of you being the most important thing to do at that moment is slim. Aging your tasks—creating a deliberate delay—offers perspective and insight, allowing you to focus on high-impact work rather than simply reacting to whatever is in front of you.
This requires to look at tasks differently.
To fully embrace the concept of aging tasks, two mindset shifts are essential:
1. Tasks Don’t Inherently Matter—Only the Results They Produce Do
Tasks are a means to an end, not the end itself. Each task on your list serves a purpose, but it’s important to recognize that its value lies in the outcome it produces, not in the task itself. Instead of racing through a checklist to achieve a sense of accomplishment, prioritize the tasks that lead to meaningful results. This way, your actions align with your ultimate goals, whether those goals are professional achievements, personal growth, or long-term projects. By focusing on outcomes, you avoid wasting time on tasks that contribute little to your end goals and build momentum toward what truly matters.
2. Tasks Are Options, Not Obligations
The second mindset shift is recognizing that tasks are options for achieving a desired result, not obligations to complete just because they’re on your list. There are often multiple ways to reach a goal, and a rigid approach to task completion can close your eyes to more efficient or creative solutions. When you don’t feel obligated to complete a task simply because it’s next in line, you give yourself the flexibility to re-evaluate your approach. This freedom often reveals opportunities to streamline your workload or even eliminate tasks. For instance, completing one high-priority task might negate the need for several lower-priority ones, allowing you to work less while producing more significant results.
Aging your tasks offers a strategic advantage: it allows you to step back, prioritize effectively, and avoid the “checklist trap,” where productivity is reduced to merely checking off as many boxes as possible. Similarly to how aging money builds financial resilience, aging tasks help build resilience in your schedule. You can avoid the mental clutter and inefficiencies from reactive work, allowing for thoughtful, impactful action instead. In a sense, task aging serves as a buffer between you and the demands of the day—a way to ensure that your work is worth your time.
Like personal finance, the payoff for this buffer isn’t immediate—it’s long-term. Over time, you may work more strategically, manage fewer tasks, and achieve more significant results.
Dave Edwards Media 