Last Minute or Deadline Oriented?

The bottom line with that comparison, what ever the task, it is completed with little or no time to spare. Not the way to operate any business, or be at your job, study, etc.

I’ve been posed with this thought because of the amount of people I’ve come across who operate like this. It’s a proven fact that our bodies operate poorly while stressed and stress can literally kill you. So why not manage your time a bit better (for those who are last minute) and create earlier soft deadlines (for those deadline oriented people) to relieve some of the stress associated with a time crunch.

Cramming for tests never helped me, and I found numerous studies that showed a good night’s sleep would be a better idea than trying to re-learn (for some of us – learn) the course within the 24 hours leading up to the exam. Most of the studies showed that during the cramming time period, the brain is not working as efficiently as possible, nor at its full capacity. This was not helped by drugs, energy drinks, coffee, etc.

I found that learning the course and absorbing through out the semester was the best way to gain knowledge and retain it. The retention was aided by having some time to apply the knowledge whether it be a term project, an essay or simply class discussion.

Now, fast-forward to today. How can we apply this to our office setting? What about our most recent client or project?

Be a sponge of information all the time. I think the more you can absorb over the course of time, you will be very sharp when it comes down to executing. Clients drop hints, previous events can give you guidance, and the amount of info out there is immense! Don’t let the deadline scare you, eat it like an elephant; one bite at a time. Being a sponge is profitable!

Make the bites a little easier to understand by dividing them by category. I find that this also helps with delegating. For example, you can easier identify tasks that will a creative person or a graphic designer by having them all classified under design, creative or visual.

Keep tabs on how everything is going, and always be aware of the deadline or Event date. I know this sounds stupid, but it is very true. Don’t get so wrapped up in you work that the deadline sneaks up on you. Then you don’t have a choice, but to pull that all nighter.

Don’t think that I’m against deadlines or being spontaneous. After all, a lot of our ideas are spontaneous, mostly stemming from creative, and they might require some last minute work, or a tight deadline to pull off, but its not a choice that is made day-in and day-out. We would much rather plan.

When something is going to plan, everyone is calm – once again cutting down on stress levels – and the efficiency levels go through the roof. Allowance for changes, or road blocks are much easier when the deadline is comfortable, or you have lots of time.

Work with a sense of urgency to get ahead of the curve; don’t have the hammer about to come down on your head. Do tomorrow’s work today, so you can finish with ample time and breathe easier.