Are You a Creative Who Thrives Under Pressure? Read This

Do you produce your best work under pressure? We get it - a lot of us are in this category! But.. rather than delay until the last minute — why not create that urgency to boost productivity right now?

Here’s how.

Address the all or nothing Problem

Creatives tend towards all-or-nothing thinking: If we cannot accomplish our goal the way we want to, we’ll put it off — until we can’t. When projects are due in the future, you know you need to get going on it, but there’s no sense of urgency or immediacy and your mind focuses on other matters until the day before. Here’s how to create a sense of urgency to get unstuck:

• Bring the future into the now by writing out a plan that answers exactly you need to do, how you will get it done, what external resources are required, and what is the final product?

• Break the project into specific tasks and schedule them on your calendar for a specific, limited block of time.

• Work backward from your deadline.

• Create a progress tracker.

• Arrange for external accountability and support for completing scheduled interim tasks.

minimize distractions

When something is due tomorrow, there aren’t any conflicting priorities, so it is easier to focus on that one task or project. You don’t have the option to delay, so there is less confusion, and distractions aren’t as powerful. So, play this up.

• Create time blocks for deep work. Ignore your other priorities (temporarily).

• Clear you workspace of clutter or visual distractions not related to that specific task.

• Turn off email, text, and other alerts.

CREATE Adrenaline Boosts

Waiting until the last minute increases adrenaline and keeps you motivated until the finish line. When you do things in advance, however, you lose this advantage.

• Increase your focus and energy by reading the Bible in the morning and getting enough sleep. Hydrate, eat nourishing foods (maybe meal prep or meal plan to ensure this), move and get fresh air. Tip: If you’re a coffee drinker, eat breakfast first then have the cup of coffee.

get over perfectionism

Many creatives struggle with perfectionism, causing delays in getting started and moving a task along. But when a project is due tomorrow, we don’t have time for paralysis or procrastination.

• Think progress, not perfection.

• If you’re in paralysis - just take one step at a time, doing one right thing. Let it flow from there.

ENFORCE A DEADLINE

Creatives are often visionary personalities and big-picture thinkers. We often mull over concepts well before the deadline, but it’s the due date itself that forces a tightening of scope, so the work is more targeted and doable. The deadline forces us to put it all together.

• Less is more. Once again, it’s not all or nothing. Doing something halfway to make progress is a better alternative than not doing it at all.

• Set yourself up with your own earlier due dates. Give yourself rewards for reaching these milestones (maybe you want to buy a new dress!).

We hope this list is helpful to you and you see real long lasting results from these small but profound changes!

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