Future Self to the Rescue
Melissa H. Katz
McGavin, Boyce, Bardot, Thorsen, & Katz
If you’ve never procrastinated, feel free to skip this
article—and please write a book the rest of us can learn from. For most of us,
staying ahead of deadlines can feel like a constant battle. We don’t delay
important work out of laziness; it’s usually because we’re overwhelmed, unsure
where to start, or holding out for that mythical stretch of uninterrupted time.
But that perfect window rarely appears. Instead, we fill the day with
low-effort tasks that feel productive—responding to emails, organizing our
desks, or debating whether we need another cup of coffee—while the real
priorities remain untouched. As defense attorneys, it’s easy to justify this
approach because those tasks still count toward our billables. But before we
know it, the clock has run out: experts need to be retained, witnesses tracked
down, and motions drafted—fast. What
usually follows when we fail to properly prioritize is avoidable stress, rising
anxiety and self-reproach as we ask ourselves – why didn’t I just start this
earlier?
That’s where your future self comes in.
I didn’t invent the idea of “thanking your future self”
(I probably picked it up from TikTok, so we’re really just crowdsourcing wisdom
at this point), but it stuck with me. I even remind my college-aged daughter to
think about her future self before a night out: Will she wake up fresh and
ready to seize the day, or will she wake up next to a regrettable number of
Taco Bell wrappers?
The same logic applies to your legal work. Your future
self is BEGGING you to prioritize the hard stuff first. So how do we stop the
cycle of procrastination and start making our future selves proud?
Step 1: Prioritize Like a Pro
Focus on the top three things that actually need to get
done. Not the busywork. Not the tasks that make you feel productive but don’t
move the needle. Your future self doesn’t care if you cleaned out your inbox.
It cares if you filed that motion before it became a crisis.
Step 2: Eat the Frog (Even If It’s Gross)
You’ve probably heard the phrase “eat the frog.” I used
to think this was just terrible dietary advice. Turns out, it means doing the
hardest task first. The logic? If you tackle the tough stuff early, everything
else feels easier. Bonus: your future self won’t be waking up in the middle of
the night riddled with anxiety.
Step 3: The Ivy Lee Method – Keep It Simple
Forget complicated prioritization systems—let’s go with
something simple and very effective: The Ivy Lee Method. This is a 100-year-old
productivity hack that still works because, well, people have been
procrastinating for centuries. Here’s how it goes:
1. At the end of each day, write down the six most
important tasks you need to complete tomorrow.
2. Rank them in order of true priority.
3. The next day, start with task #1 and work down the
list. No jumping around. No multitasking.
4. Anything you don’t finish? It rolls over to tomorrow’s
list.
Why does this work? Because it forces you to focus
instead of getting lost in decision fatigue. No more wasting 30 minutes staring
at your to-do list, wondering what to tackle first. You just start—and that’s
half the battle.
Step 4: Start Small—Seriously, Just Two Minutes
The hardest part of any task is starting. So set a timer
for two minutes. Just two. Trick your brain into thinking, “I’ll just do this
for a little bit.” Next thing you know, you’re knee-deep in work and actually
making progress. Future You is cheering.
Step 5: Remember—Future You Is Counting on You
Living each day to improve the life of your future self
doesn’t just apply to work. Future You wants you to exercise, eat something
green, and not regret binge-watching Netflix or losing track of time on TikTok
instead of sleeping. Future You also wants you to stop overthinking and just
start—because getting things done today makes tomorrow so much easier.
So, be kind to your future self. Do the hard work now.
Your stress levels, career, and mental health will thank you.
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