Why Wednesday?
A Look at Procrastination and Timing
No one’s asked, but I’ll answer: do you know why I send this newsletter out on Wednesday evening? It’s not because it’s some secret optimal sending time.
It's the result of fine-tuned procrastination.
Wednesday, because I didn’t want to do it early in the week. Tuesday is a bit bland and still early, while Thursday is too close to Friday. Friday would put too much pressure on me and the weekend, and Sunday afternoon is reserved for planning and meeting with my mini mastermind.
Evening, because even if I have a topic in mind, I delay writing until it’s almost not Wednesday anymore.
Thus, Wednesday evening was chosen through a careful balance of procrastination and process of elimination. Ta-da!
The fine art of delay
A lot of decisions are like that, and many times it doesn’t matter. It’s ok to delay. It’s better if you don’t, but it’s not the end of the world if you do. But in other cases, delay leads to serious and sometimes irreversible damage. The hard part is that those are often either so weighty that it seems impossible to proceed, or way behind the scenes and almost invisible day-to-day. Think estate and succession planning, dental cleanings, and backups, not to mention those pesky software updates (pro tip: if you have an important meeting in 15 minutes, don’t run a system update).
And yes, if you’ve been reading this newsletter lately, you know where I’m going with this: the new email authentication requirements from Google and Yahoo, set to take effect in early 2024.
Let’s get ready to rumble
These changes aren't just another update to click away. They're crucial. Ignoring them could mean your emails end up in spam or giving you the bounce with an obscure error code. Imagine the impact on your business communications and customer relationships!
The clock is ticking. It’s hard to believe, but it’s almost the end of November, and then we're on the slow slide into December and the New Year. Waiting until the last minute could leave you parsing bounce messages, trying to salvage your sender reputation, and yep, you bet it’ll cost more than getting ahead of it now.
Do it yesterday next week
So, when should you start preparing? My recommendation: post-Black Friday promotions, but before the New Year hustle. This window is perfect for getting everything set up and making sure it works, without impacting those all-important emails.
So, what are you procrastinating on, and is it a Type 1 (meh) or Type 2 (yikes) delay?
P.S. You know where to find me when you’re ready!
3 Things from me
I gathered up a few Black Friday promos from tools I use and/or recommend
As a last hurrah before I officially retire from Doing All The Things, my Black Friday offer is…your last chance to book a Done With You problem-solving session with yours truly. After this, it’s email for days and packages / projects only.
I’m super thankful that you’re reading this! No link. I was going to do a video or something, but…you know where I’m going with this.
3 Things from other people
The players and history behind this week’s Geek Thriller aka the Saga of OpenAI. And another. Also, it’s hilarious how many people had pointed out that they were using Google Meet for all these thrilling meetings.
Do you talk like a millenial or a boomer at work? This quiz informed me that I’m younger than my chronological age.
If you’ve been procrastinating, here’s how to talk to a loved one about their health