I’ve been in countless meetings where the phrase "highest priority" gets attached to three different projects by three different stakeholders. My inbox is a sea of "ASAP" requests. It's a feeling I think many of us in project management know all too well. Welcome to the modern workplace, where we’re living through a kind of "urgency inflation." When everything is labeled as urgent, the truth is that nothing actually is. This isn't just an annoyance, it's a silent killer of quality work and team morale. The problem is that urgency has become performative. It’s a signal to show how busy we are, a way to create a sense of panic that feels productive but rarely is. We end up mistaking speed for efficiency and reactivity for clarity. In my three decades in this field, I’ve seen this pattern play out repeatedly. It usually falls into two traps: 1. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿. This is the person who bounces from one half-finished "urgent" task to the next, ending the day exhausted but with little meaningful progress to show for it. 2. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. This is where we create pressure just for the sake of it, setting unrealistic timelines that force everyone into a reactive mode. A staggering 85% of deadlines are arbitrary anyway, not based on actual business needs. Creating an environment where teams can succeed requires moving beyond this chaos. It's about being intentional. Here are a few practices I’ve found that help cut through the noise: 1. 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁. I always come back to Eisenhower's principle: "What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important." We handle urgent tasks in a reactive mode, but important tasks are where we are responsive and contribute to long-term goals. Knowing the difference is everything. 2. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 "𝗪𝗵𝘆." If something is truly urgent, make it clear why. Don't just pass down pressure. When a team understands the context, they can prioritize intelligently. This simple act of sharing information builds trust and reduces stress for everyone involved. 3. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. A deadline is not a plan. A realistic timeline must include buffers for revisions, approvals, and the inevitable unexpected problems. Over-promising to seem responsive only creates a crisis later. 4. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺'𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀. A key part of my role is to say "no" or "not now" to requests that don't align with our core priorities. This isn't being difficult, it's leadership. It’s how you create an empowering environment where people can do their best work instead of just putting out fake fires.