While stress is an unavoidable feature of society, we have increasingly become more conscious of its detrimental consequences. To cut a long story short, it’s not good. We should all try to lessen stress whenever possible. Deadline stress is a unique type of stress. This is the stress you experience when you are concerned about looming deadlines. Deadlines can be stressful, and you can easily fall prey to procrastination when you’re under pressure.
“Torschlusspanik” is a term used by the Germans to describe this. This term translates literally as “gate shut panic” or loosely as “fear of time running out.” Is it something you have to deal with? If this is the case, consider adopting these nine tips to help you manage deadline stress.
1. Define More Realistic Deadlines
When setting deadlines, people are often excessively optimistic. While this is a difficult habit to overcome, you need to become more realistic. Setting unreasonable deadlines can only increase your stress. Instead, make sure you set reasonable deadlines that you can fulfill.
2. Create an Action plan
Do you have a plan for meeting your deadline? Do you have a strategy? If not, please do so as soon as possible. Taking the time to sketch out a preliminary strategy will likely alleviate a lot of the deadline stress you’re experiencing.
3. Organize Your Workspace
A messy desk is indicative of a cluttered mind. So even if you’re pressed for time, it’s essential that you clean up your workspace. A clean work environment means fewer distractions and more time to focus on your most critical deadlines.
4. Concentrate on What You Can Control
You cannot control every aspect of your life. When you’re up against a tight deadline, concentrate on what you can manage. For example, you may not be able to control the deadline since your boss set it, but you can manage how you utilize your time.
5. Break Down Complicated Tasks
One of the most effective strategies to deal with deadline stress is to divide large projects into smaller action items. Instead of stressing about an enormous work task due in X number of days, focus on smaller milestones that you can complete right away. The more you execute the steps of these tasks, the closer you will be to your objective and feel more confident.
6. Prioritize the Important Tasks
The majority of your time should always be spent on your most critical responsibilities. If you need help deciding what to work on next, consider both urgency and importance. Important chores take you closer to your goals, whereas urgent jobs have the shortest deadlines. The figure a balance between the important and urgent tasks. A tool that is very helpful in doing this is Eisenhower Matrix.
7. Reflect on Your Inner Peace, Be Mindful
Deadline stress, like all other forms of stress, must be managed somehow. The greatest approach to do so is to prioritize self-care and inner peace. First, consider starting a meditation practice. Make an effort to be more mindful in your daily activities. Find interests and habits that help you relax naturally.
8. Learn to Overcome Perfectionism
Perfection is the worst enemy of “done.” It makes no sense to add the stress of perfection if you are already stressed about meeting a deadline. The truth is that perfection does not exist. You will only miss other deadlines if you continue to scrutinize every tiny detail. Don’t let the pressure of perfectionism ruin your life.
9. Take a Break
If you’re working hard to achieve a deadline, taking a break could be the last thing on your mind, but this can be a detrimental way of thinking. So instead, taking a break is an excellent approach to re-energize and refocus on always giving your best effort. It is also an opportunity to step back from the minutiae and assess your advancement.
STEPS TO TAKE IMMEDIATELY
1. Examine your schedule or calendar to determine your present deadlines. Give projects or tasks a deadline if they don’t already have one.
2. Check all of your deadlines. Are there any deadlines that you can reschedule? Is there a deadline on which you were overly aggressive? Adjust your deadlines as needed and as possible.
3. Do any of the upcoming deadlines worry you? If you can’t adjust a deadline that bothers you, devise a strategy to meet it. Determine a step you can do right now, and take it!
Further Readings
The Little Book of Mindfulness: 10 Minutes a Day to Less Stress, More Peace
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
Consider Professional Help
If you find that despite your efforts your stress is not reducing or if it is affecting your health and or personal life consider getting professional help. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been empirically proven to be helpful in dealing with anxiety and stress. If you want to know more consider having a virtual coffee with me
I help IT executives overcome anxiety, overwhelm and procrastination, unleashing their potential using 1:1 CBT sessions | Assertiveness Training | Burn-out Prevention | Beat Perfectionism | Crush Imposter Syndrome