Deadlines loom, but YOU hold the power…
Deadlines loom. Days shorten. Pressures mount. Is that a familiar feeling?
Well, it’s time to claim your true power and transform these scary-sounding end-points with rewarding practices that enhance your productivity and peace of mind. What’s your key?
Boundaries.
And while boundary-setting requires work over time, the skills and “muscles” you develop will benefit you every day, in every area of your life.
Deadlines and Boundaries
So what images come to mind when you hear the word “deadline”? Are you juggling multiple commitments, wondering which ball to watch? Are you caught in a vise as the dreaded date draws near?
A scarcity mentality may seem logical in this situation. Time is scarce, right? So much needs to be squeezed into such a tight space. Nevertheless, this common reaction inhibits your best efforts, and can result in chronic stress, undermining your relationship with yourself and with others.
If you think of this, instead, as a series of workable boundary challenges, you’ll be delighted by what is revealed. With this small shift in perspective, you uncover your power to change the outcome. This energetic approach to boundaries generates fresh vitality and curiosity.
Hard Deadlines
Let’s start with hard deadlines. They are, themselves, time boundaries. Something has to happen by a specific time and date. Meet your deadline, and you enjoy a positive outcome.
Once you truly accept that this is your full responsibility, you can build motivation to set internal and external boundaries. Think of these boundaries as your lifelines, because they help you to make good choices and to follow through.
Soft Deadlines
Soft deadlines are an interesting variation on the above. They are more like guidelines, and are moveable. So long as they don’t fall off your to-do list, they can be rescheduled to accommodate hard deadlines.
An example is raking leaves in autumn. You want to gather them sometime before the snow arrives, so you won’t be left with a sodden mess on your lawn in the spring. But you can enjoy some flexibility as to when.
So one effective method for reducing the pressure on yourself is to create a soft deadline well in advance of any hard deadline. Another tactic is to employ the “x two” rule when creating your schedule, by building in extra time for each step.
Keeping It All in Sync
Finally, you must coordinate your various hard and soft deadlines. This allows adequate buffer and makes sure you schedule time to sustain your health and emotional well-being. By focusing on your inner well-being, and releasing non-essentials, you shift from an outward-looking scarcity mentality to a self-referenced inner abundance mentality.
Over time, dreaded deadlines can become anticipated due dates. As you shift your energetic approach, you can focus on how meeting deadlines is really activating power points to build stronger connections. Each time you meet a deadline you generate more confidence in yourself, and enjoy the pleasure
of your productivity.
And say tuned, because I’ll soon be releasing a new product, all about boundary-setting!
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