The election of 2012 was hardly over and the president barely inaugurated when we had to start hearing about the contest of 2016. In the past three months, many news outlets have teased readers with a multitude of stories about politicians mulling over or planning for the next, distant round of electioneering.

In September, 2012, the New York Times profiled high-profile Democrats at the Democratic National Convention: “Looking Past November for a Preview of 2016.” On Nov. 22, 2012 they asked, “Jeb Bush in 2016?” Don’t worry, though. After asking such a leaping question, they reassured themselves: “Not Too Early for Chatter.”

Other outlets indulge the same kind of prospecting. Shortly after President Barack Obama’s second inauguration, the Associated Press reported that Vice President “Biden meets with Democrats, stoking 2016 chatter.” Looking even further into the future, NPR said: “Forget 2016. The Pivotal Year In Politics May Be 2020.” A few days later, as Republicans met for a winter convention, the Washington Post wrote: “Republicans look to their bench for 2016.” Other examples abound.

All those articles, with only a Google search.

The clamoring got even harder to ignore when one of Iowa’s longtime United States senators, Tom Harkin, announced that he would not run for reelection in 2014.

After that bit of news, Politico argued: “Tom Harkin’s successor to be a power player.” While the Washington Post wrote that the “Harkin retirement presents GOP with and opportunity and a test,” the Quad-City Times, in Davenport, said: “Harkin believes Democrats can keep U.S. Senate seat in 2014.”

Now, “Iowa’s Braley to run for hotly contested Senate seat.” That, in turn, triggered speculation about Braley’s seat: “Former Iowa House speaker Murphy eyes Braley seat,” the Sioux City Journal said. One Cedar Rapids TV station reported, “Democrats Approach [State Senator] Liz Mathis About Congressional Run.”

All this jockeying deserves some perspective.

The election for Harkin’s seat is nearly two years away. The presidential election is nearly four years away. Even allowing for half of that time to be devoted to campaigning, we should begin to watch the race for Harkin’s seat a year from now, and for the presidency, two years from now. Until then, the politicians running for such offices — who invariably currently hold offices of the public trust — should concentrate on governing.

Imagine the repercussions that you would receive if you, on the clock, using your boss’s time that he or she is paying you for, gave most of your attention to searching for other employment. Our guess is that your boss would not be very happy. And We, the People, are the bosses of the president and members of Congress.

At the very least, those running for such office need time to muster up the qualifications. Campaigning takes away from that. As essential as it is to win elections and connect with voters once in a while, that’s not the secret ingredient to doing politics well. The key ingredient is an ability to connect with one’s peers — the other members of Congress, for example.

Savor the moment. Even though campaigning should be political (as opposed to rallies for media whores), the campaign season is just like any other season: At other times of the year or cycle, other things are going on. Give governing a chance.