--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you put off a task, you buy yourself…" description: "\"When you put off a task, you buy yourself time to engage in divergent thinking rather than foreclosing on one particular idea.\" — Adam Grant" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/adam-grant-3775_divergent_when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself_1978079.png" --- # When you put off a task, you buy yourself time to engage… ![“When you put off a task, you buy yourself time to engage in divergent thinking rather than foreclosing on one particular idea.” quote by Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/adam-grant-3775_divergent_when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself_1978079.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/adam-grant-3775_divergent_when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself_1978079.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/adam-grant-3775_divergent_when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself_1978079.png) > “When you put off a task, you buy yourself time to engage in divergent thinking rather than foreclosing on one particular idea.” [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Procrastination can create mental space for divergent thinking, fostering creative ideas before committing to a single solution. **In simple terms:** Delaying tasks may boost creativity by allowing broader thinking. Key Takeaway Use intentional pauses to explore multiple perspectives before deciding. Themes creativity productivity decision making Mood reflective strategic Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - brainstorming sessions - project planning - problem solving Key Concepts divergent thinking cognitive flexibility deliberate delay Questions to Reflect On - How long should a pause last? - When does delay become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Too much delay can cause missed deadlines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Divergent thinking is almost always seen as a gift rather than an acquired and developed skill. But this is far from the truth: divergent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rothstein/divergent-thinking-is-almost-always-seen-as-a-gift-rather-than-an/) Dan Rothstein > [“Divergent thinking is that one starts thinking from one point and expands from there to generate more ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/divergent-thinking-is-that-one-starts-thinking-from-one-point-and/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [“Grade A objectivity won’t come from those who are closest to us. It will come from outsiders. That’s where we’ll find divergent thinking, unexpected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sturt/grade-a-objectivity-won-t-come-from-those-who-are-closest-to-us-it/) [David Sturt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sturt/) > [“Deep divergence is defined as divergent thinking to its most extreme levels, far beyond what is probable, beyond what is possible, and into an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-molesworth/deep-divergence-is-defined-as-divergent-thinking-to-its-most-extreme/) Kevin Molesworth > [“I have this idea that writing is all about divergent thinking colliding with a hurricane of emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-ys-perez/i-have-this-idea-that-writing-is-all-about-divergent-thinking/) [R. YS Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-ys-perez/) > [“Om meditation makes the mind spacious. It gives the freedom for focus and divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the center of human creativity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/om-meditation-makes-the-mind-spacious-it-gives-the-freedom-for-focus/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [“Another area of thinking where bilinguals have been shown to excel is divergent thinking, the ability to come up with many different solutions rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-zurer-pearson/another-area-of-thinking-where-bilinguals-have-been-shown-to-excel-is/) Barbara Zurer Pearson > [The only thing we can't buy more of is time." she said. "And dodo birds. We can't buy any more of them. they're extinct.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/the-only-thing-we-can-t-buy-more-of-is-time-she-said-and-dodo-birds/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Spent hundred thousand on the watch, who said you cant buy the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-quperlier/spent-hundred-thousand-on-the-watch-who-said-you-cant-buy-the-time/) [Simon Quperlier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-quperlier/) > [Time. I would have gone somewhere to buy time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/time-i-would-have-gone-somewhere-to-buy-time/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [“Just as money can’t buy happiness, neither can it buy time affluence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/just-as-money-can-t-buy-happiness-neither-can-it-buy-time-affluence/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [“We cannot defeat him. We can only buy you time... Twelve minutes... I can give you that”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/we-cannot-defeat-him-we-can-only-buy-you-time-twelve-minutes-i-can/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I wish I could Buy Time - just write a cheque, and a few days later a brown cardboard box would arrive at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-cheque-and-a-few-days-later-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy Time. Happiness. Inner Peace. Integrity. Love. Character. Manners. Health. Respect. Morals. Trust. Patience. Class. Common sense. Dignity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/top-15-things-money-can-t-buy-time-happiness-inner-peace-integrity/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [You can't buy time or save it, common idioms notwithstanding. You can only spend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-zorn/you-can-t-buy-time-or-save-it-common-idioms-notwithstanding-you-can/) [Eric Zorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-zorn/) ## More by Adam Grant > [When young women get called bossy, it's often because they're trying to exercise power without status. It's not a problem that they're being dominant;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/when-young-women-get-called-bossy-it-s-often-because-they-re-trying/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [If I had the day off and knew everyone else was voting, I wouldn't miss it. It would become a routine part of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/if-i-had-the-day-off-and-knew-everyone-else-was-voting-i-wouldn-t/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [No one wants to hear everything that's in your head. They just want you to live up to what comes out of your mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/no-one-wants-to-hear-everything-that-s-in-your-head-they-just-want/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [Geniuses don't have better ideas than the rest of us. They just have more of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/geniuses-don-t-have-better-ideas-than-the-rest-of-us-they-just-have/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [Meditation isn't snake oil. For some people, meditation might be the most efficient way to reduce stress and cultivate mindfulness. But it isn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/meditation-isn-t-snake-oil-for-some-people-meditation-might-be-the/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [In college, my idea of a productive day was to start writing at 7 A.M. and not leave my chair until dinnertime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/in-college-my-idea-of-a-productive-day-was-to-start-writing-at-7-a-m/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [Creativity may be hard to nurture, but it's easy to thwart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/creativity-may-be-hard-to-nurture-but-it-s-easy-to-thwart/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [I have lots of micro-goals of trying to get things done, whatever the amount of time available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/i-have-lots-of-micro-goals-of-trying-to-get-things-done-whatever-the/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [People often believe that character causes action, but when it comes to producing moral children, we need to remember that action also shapes character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/people-often-believe-that-character-causes-action-but-when-it-comes/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [When a salesperson truly cares about you, trust forms, and you're more likely to buy, come back for repeat business, and refer new customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/when-a-salesperson-truly-cares-about-you-trust-forms-and-you-re-more/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [When you develop a reputation for being responsive and generous, an ever-expanding mountain of requests will come your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/when-you-develop-a-reputation-for-being-responsive-and-generous-an/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [To get important work done, most leaders organize people into teams. They believe that when people collaborate toward a common goal, great things can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/to-get-important-work-done-most-leaders-organize-people-into-teams/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [Most people believe that great leaders are distinguished by their ability to give compelling answers. This profound book shatters that assumption, showing that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/most-people-believe-that-great-leaders-are-distinguished-by-their/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [Kids who evolve into creative adults tend to have a strong moral compass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/kids-who-evolve-into-creative-adults-tend-to-have-a-strong-moral/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [Authenticity means erasing the gap between what you firmly believe inside and what you reveal to the outside world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/authenticity-means-erasing-the-gap-between-what-you-firmly-believe/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) [Explore all 122 Adam Grant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) ## More Divergent quotes > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was in good shape from Divergent. Damien Chazelle, the director of Whiplash told me, ‘Stop Working Out! Don’t go outside!’ He wanted me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/i-was-in-good-shape-from-divergent-damien-chazelle-the-director-of/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [“I was beginning to feel that I had finally found a place to stay, a place that was not so unstable or corrupt or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-was-beginning-to-feel-that-i-had-finally-found-a-place-to-stay-a/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/four-from-divergent/preparation-eradicates-cowardice-which-we-define-as-the-failure-to/) Four from Divergent > [I believe it is essential to have English as the official language of our National Government, for the English language is the tie that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sensenbrenner/i-believe-it-is-essential-to-have-english-as-the-official-language-of/) [Jim Sensenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sensenbrenner/) > [From your results I have determined that you are one of the strongest Divergent, which I say not to compliment you but to explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/from-your-results-i-have-determined-that-you-are-one-of-the-strongest/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [It's when you're acting selflessly that you are at your bravest." --Four in Divergent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-s-when-you-re-acting-selflessly-that-you-are-at-your-bravest-four/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“It must require bravery to be honest all the time. I wouldn't know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-must-require-bravery-to-be-honest-all-the-time-i-wouldn-t-know/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Music creates order out of chaos: for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehudi-menuhin/music-creates-order-out-of-chaos-for-rhythm-imposes-unanimity-upon/) [Yehudi Menuhin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehudi-menuhin/) > [“Intentions are the only thing they care about. They try to make you think they care about what you do, but they don't. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/intentions-are-the-only-thing-they-care-about-they-try-to-make-you/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Divergent thinking is that one starts thinking from one point and expands from there to generate more ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/divergent-thinking-is-that-one-starts-thinking-from-one-point-and/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [Not long time ago there was a striking example of the extent to which English has diverged: a television company put out a programme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-trask/not-long-time-ago-there-was-a-striking-example-of-the-extent-to-which/) [Larry Trask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-trask/) > [When I was auditioning for Divergent, I was kind of in the dumps. I wasn't really happy with acting, and I didn't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-madsen/when-i-was-auditioning-for-divergent-i-was-kind-of-in-the-dumps-i/) [Christian Madsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-madsen/) > [“i am divergent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-am-divergent/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“He is a part of me, always will be, and I am a part of him, too. I don’t belong to Abnegation, or Dauntless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/he-is-a-part-of-me-always-will-be-and-i-am-a-part-of-him-too-i-don-t/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) Browse all 194 Divergent quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you put off a task, you buy yourself time to engage in divergent thinking rather than foreclosing on one particular idea.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Grant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself-time-to-engage-in-divergent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Divergent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself-time-to-engage-in-divergent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/adam-grant-3775_divergent_when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself_1978079.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/adam-grant-3775_divergent_when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself_1978079.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/adam-grant-3775_divergent_when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself_1978079.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you put off a task, you buy yourself time to engage in divergent thinking rather than foreclosing on…” — Adam Grant", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam Grant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you put off a task,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself-time-to-engage-in-divergent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/when-you-put-off-a-task-you-buy-yourself-time-to-engage-in-divergent/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```