I had been procrastinating the idea of writing a post for long, until I firmly decided to write one within a stipulated time which in turn gave me the topic for this post-‘Deadlines’. Deadlines-or should I say ‘Deadly Lines’-as they creep closer, and in case you don’t have ready work at hand, they become deadlier (not deadly in the sense of threatening the life, but rather making you put up with such immense pressure, that it will surely draw the life out of you). But every cloud has a silver lining, there is always the other side of the coin, a positive connotation to every aspect and a probable solution to every challenge-in this case-deadlines. So, the key term is ‘balance’ and the effective solution is ‘management’.
Answer this simple question:
What are deadlines there for?
I would say, to make us complete our work ‘within a due course of time’ (this is the main point).
If you pay close attention to the above line (my perception about the role of deadlines), you may observe that deadlines don’t ask you to complete your work like the reminders in the phone, the ones which can be easily snoozed; they demand the work as if saying, “Hey, the long wait is over and I am finally here.”, and then the blunt, straightforward demand, “Where is the work?”
Deadlines are not patient things; they work on their time and pace and don’t prefer lingering on for long; you got to put up with them. But how do you?
Balance and Management. If you cautiously manage your work by equitably distributing it throughout the span of time by setting smaller deadlines for self, all of which is characterized by a balance between work, recreation and rest, I hope the next time a deadline approaches you with its demand for work, you will be able to ‘obediently’ hand in your work, thereby, fulfilling the purpose of a deadline but triumphantly failing its concealed motive of causing you to crumble under pressure.