Now might not be the time to read that meaty 5,000 word op-ed, but it sure sounds like an interesting read. You can of course save this to your bookmarks, or with a purpose built “read it later” app like Instapaper or Pocket.
But then something weird happens. Just adding the article to your bookmark list yields a similar level of satisfaction to reading it. In other words – we take satisfaction in simply saying “I plan to read this”.
Of course, the work of reading the article remains. We’ve still got work to do, and yet we’ve already got a reward. I think this is why most people’s reading lists tend to pile up and gather dust, rather than being a waiting room.
There’s two paths to solving this. If the article you’ve discovered is directly pertinent to the work you’re doing today – it’s probably best to read it in the moment, when the context will help the most. For everything else – it’s not enough to simply click “read it later” – you’ve got to plan when you’ll read it. Block time in your calendar. Condition yourself to seek your reading list over your social media feeds in times of boredom. Do what it takes, and stop confusing intention with action.