Why deadlines are a blessing
Human beings are like diesel engines — working most efficiently under pressure. Actor, educator and Mythbusters host Adam Savage is a fan of deadlines and recently said that he loves to work under time constraints. He admitted that deadlines help him be more efficient when it comes to problem-solving.
Nobody likes deadlines but we all agree that they are necessary for getting things done. Without a deadline, one is prone to putting everything off.
A deadline in place ensures that there is a certain target we have to reach and that makes the journey logical.
“A bit of pressure is vital to take a job seriously. And deadlines surely have more positives than negatives. While due to the rush in meeting the deadline, there could be errors and work quality could be substandard yet a deadline is vital to ensure that the huge negative of procrastination is kept at bay,” says author Vikrant Dutta.
Deadlines are like death knells for most people and in order to avoid this premature death, the rush of adrenaline boosts creative juices and you come up with prompt great ideas to solve the problem.
Creative writing student Vikas Uniyal says, “I once attended a creative writing workshop within my program, and the solution to a story which we could not think of in a week was found in 10 minutes by everyone which amazed us. Deadlines force the entire five per cent of our brains to focus on a problem rather than the bits we dedicate to the same problem over a lengthier period of time. The only negative I can think of is the quality of a solution that is compromised since we stick to the first idea we come across rather than having options to come out with the best one.”
Saugata, publisher, Pan Macmillan India, calls deadlines a necessary evil. “I think it helps us be productive. I take deadlines very seriously and want my team to take it seriously too. But there have been times when I have burnt the midnight oil to meet deadlines. It is stressful but the end product is sweet. However, sometimes one cannot do the best only because of deadlines. Having said that, I am of the firm belief that if one plans well, deadlines help.”
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