Myself Gurpreet from the Faculty Of Liberal Arts.
I am an honor student and a content writer.
And an Album designer as well.
So, while I have been assigned with tasks from both the sides or either one side
I found it stressed when i have been given with the deadlines.
So, how can I cope up at that time?
And can get out of the stress and maintain the equanimity.
Can you please guide me?
Deadlines! We all love deadlines.
But, by the way, what sort of album work do you do?
The album designing, the wedding albums, the ring ceremony, all kinds of albums I design.
Right! This is something you doing in addition to your studies?
Yes, in addition!
Fantastic! We nice to have a young entrepreneur among us, who is also supporting herself!
Thank you! You may take your seat and I'll answer your question!
Her question is, "How do I retain my composure, my cool under deadlines?"
See, deadlines are great!
Because they fire us up!
Right! And that additional rush of adrenaline that we get is a natural thing.
So you don't have to fight against it.
In-fact, if it won't be there; if that deadline, time-pressure won't be there, you're best creativity will not emerge out!
And to complete the work in time won't be there.
Because, we have that ability to do!
But when this deadline is there only then it is possible!
I'll narrate you a personal incidence.
That how deadlines affect us.
So, when I went to Australia as a young student..
The year was 1999.
Then the marketing course we had, the professor of which was such an interesting lady.
She said, 50% of your final marks will depend on a certain presentation that you will make and a report that you have to write.
I said, 'fantastic!'
And that has to be submitted 3 months later.
So I looked at the assignment and said, 'Yep! This is pretty damn easy, I will do it certainly!
We have 3 month's time.
Okay, from now we'll bunk marketing lectures!
No! That's a joke!
Alright! So, 50% I used to go because I liked the professor, she was pretty good at her subject.
But then, that stress wasn't there at that time.
The thing you are taking about.
Because the deadline was not immediate, was 3 months away.
So i was relaxed naturally.
Human beings, we do not have a very good sense of time.
We have a distorted sense of time.
Most of us!
3 months: We consider it 3 years!
And then as gradually it postponed, other things came in between which we had to do.
In our class there were abut 40 students.
Out of which, 18-20 were from Indian sub-continent.
18-20 were Australians.
So, India, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, all these places; we have students going out for higher studies.
And, in the computer room, there were only 8 terminals.
So what happened while waiting..
All of my friends started saying, let's leave it now as it's lengthy, we'll type it at night and submit it in the morning!
I think it's a sort of an Indian thing to do, right!
To delay the things at so extend and then at the end be in full action, become a superman..
Have 2-3 red-bulls, and someone discovered a medicine which obstructs us to sleep at night.
In the sense, everyone was bragging that now we will do it definitely! (Pun intended)
3 months ago, why didn't we do, this was the question none of us had thought!
But the thing which, my child, even I didn't thought of was that there are 8 computers and 22 students!
Those 22 are also our brothers. (Similar in thinking!)
They also belong to Indian sub-continent!
So, the night I also walked into the computer room to type my assignment, I found that none of the computer was free.
Not only the computers were busy rather there was a waiting line of 2-3 students behind every terminal.
That as soon the other finishes, the other would start typing!
Where I would be able to pass with distinction in that subject..
I hardly passed!
And till date it's my biggest regret!
Just because of poor planning and not understanding the gravity of the deadlines!
So, deadlines are good, provided we have a good sense of time around them to realize that how far they are.
And I think a good way to do it.
I completely agree that some of our best ideas come last minute.
As a public speaker I do realize that before stepping on the stage, my best ides emerge sometimes.
No matter, how much I prepare 3 months ago, write a whole novel on it..
But the best lines will emerge before stepping onto the stage last minute only!
So, as what you are doing is a creative work..
In creative work, you need to manage this between two things.
1. Which are the things which can be done earlier?
2. Which are the things for which I need to open the window of creativity last minute?
This you have to decide!
So as a creative person you cannot be a robot.
Right, it's not like that I have to build a wall and I'll mound 4 brinks daily!
And after 3 months, there won't be equal performance.
You have to be comfortable with this fact, right!
But if you can divide your task into 2 categories, it will be easy.
Which of my tasks are not much creative, i.e. the logistical work can be done earlier.
And the creative work can be left for the last minute.
That's how you can do that, that's number 1.
Number 2, is to utilize that last minute rush.
So let's say if your deadline is of 31st.
Then keep 30th and 29th relatively free.
On those days, book your appointments and other things less.
So try to understand your own nature.
If you are someone, who works well under the deadline, you know 31st is the deadline and then try not to keep 28th, 29th, 30th busy.
Keep those 3 days free enough!
So, that for 31st (the important day), in it's pressure you perform the best on these 3 days!
Right, so you have to know yourself!
Some people are very discipline, they can do a little bit-2 every day.
But maybe that won't work for in a creative pursuit, wherein the last minute submissions when we put in the best ideas.
So complete the amount of work which can be done earlier, in the structured way.
And if you are in a habit of doing it in the last minute and you perform well at that time..
Then keep you time scheduling in such a way that before deadlines your resources and your time is available.
I hope that answers your question!
Thank you!