Sometimes deadlines imposed by others make us crazy and threaten our sanity. What to do? I’ve recently assisted someone in these shoes and thought I’d share our coping mechanisms:
1. Accept the deadline. Regardless of how unfair or irrational it is, if it has to be met, we must accept it. Refusing to accept it only delays the real work, which sets us up to fail. Commit to the project and embrace the deadline, even if you’d like to blow up the world.
2. Reorganize your work space before you begin. All other work on your desk and anything you find distracting must be removed, because you must be able to
3. Focus and prioritize. Your unreasonable deadline project is Priority One. All other projects must be delayed. Repeat: All other projects must be delayed.
4. Stay positive. You can do this! I promise, you can! But first you have to BELIEVE that you can.
5. Enlist support. Call on your good friends/colleagues and ASK for help. I know. You don’t DO this—EVER! But do it now. Check your ego and get some help. After all, the deadline is totally unreasonable, which sets you up to fail. You don’t want to fail, do you?
6. Accept help with your daily needs. Let your neighbor pick up carpool, even though it isn’t her turn. Let your spouse or good friend cook dinner or watch the kids. Request that your kids take on additional responsibilities so you can focus.
7. Adjust your social interactions. No talking to the boss (or whoever the deadline imposer is) while you’re stressed, fried, and exhausted. You are probably overly emotional, completely depleted, and unworthy of any serious conversation. Just avoid it, as it will not serve you. In fact, just avoid everyone; hole up!
8. Stress relief is essential. Set a timer if you have to, but every hour take five minutes and walk away. Take deep breaths, stretch, walk to the mailbox, or go play fetch with your dog. I know, you think you can’t . But you must. I promise your productivity will increase and you will find that these brief minutes away were a good investment in the project.
9. Drink lots of water and eat fresh food. Ok, now I know you are laughing. Who has time for fresh food? Well, remember #5 and #6 and ASK for it. It may be carrots, celery, an apple or a banana. But don’t eat junk or preservatives. Your body needs good fuel, especially when it's in overdrive.
10. Keep your sense of humor. When you really want to quit, think of how ridiculous the whole thing is and allow yourself a good belly laugh.
11. Honor your emotions. If you can’t laugh, cry. Hard. It’s ok and will help you get through it. Don't pretend you're not angry, stressed, exhausted, or all three.
12. Reward yourself. When your deadline is finally met (and it will be), allow yourself to crash. You will need to regroup and refresh yourself before you can possibly feel human again. Do whatever makes you feel great; have a glass or two of wine, a couple of beers, get a massage, sleep for 80 hours straight, indulge in your favorite chocolate. Player's choice! You certainly deserve some special treatment.
If you have other favorite methods of coping, I’d love to hear them! Please feel free to share them in the comments. And if you're in the throes of an unreasonable deadline, I'm rooting for you!
Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com
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