I do it myself when I’m not careful. “Wandering in” takes three forms:

1. You start a task without a clear destination, a clear sense of what will be different when you are done
2. You start a task without a clear route, a clear sense of specific steps that will get you to your destination
3. You don’t really start the task. You check your email, look up something on the Internet, finish reading an article, make some notes about something else, schedule an appointment, answer the telephone, get a cup of coffee, etc.

In the first two cases, you get lost in the task. In the third, you get lost in between tasks. Whether you succumb to one, two, or all three forms of wandering in, you will lose significant time. Next thing you know, half an hour or more has passed and you are still wandering around in or between tasks.

Starting, on the other hand, involves an intentional decision to launch yourself down a clear path to a specific finish line. You glance at the clock, set an end time in your mind, push everything else aside, and then sprint toward that destination.

The difference is enormous. Starting is tremendously effective. Wandering in is not.

Starting requires discipline and the habit of being intentional and specific about your goal, next step, and expected completion time. If you save the wandering for your leisure hours, you will be amazed by how many more leisure hours you will have!