Deadlines, stress & coping

I read an amazing article from Keck Medicine the other day, entitled "Your Mental Health is More Important than Your Deadlines." Just by the title, I'm sure you understand why this caught my eye. My first thought was, "FINALLY someone says something." I'm a firm believer that our productivity directly correlates with our stress level. You're naturally going to be less productive when your mind is elsewhere. This is true for everyone, not just those with mental health issues.

But for those with anxiety disorder, deadlines and work are a constant source of stress. Deadlines can loom above us like the heavy pressure before a storm. The thing is, you know the storm is coming but you're not sure you are prepared for when it hits. Although this may not be comforting, even people who have excellent time-management skills can be stressed about deadlines. It's normal! (photo cred to relatably.com)

The author of the Keck Medicine article, Anne Fritz, has some great advice for dealing with the stress surrounding deadlines. These are tips anyone can use, but I'll add an extra spin that those with anxiety problems can apply:

1. Take your deadlines seriously. Fritz says even those who claim to thrive under pressure should make sure they're fully prepared and aware of deadlines. For those with anxiety, keeping a calendar is a great way to map out time. It gives you a visual representation of the period leading up to your deadline, which might keep you better organized.
2. Schedule a meditation break. For those with and without anxiety problems, Fritz says meditation is a great way to calm your mind and body in the middle of a stressful task. Although you may want to keep moving, taking a break may just give you the extra inspiration and push to get the job done on time.
3. Get moving. According to Fritz, a change in scenery might help dislodge you from a mental rut. I would add to that, exercise is great for your mental health and will produce some of the chemicals necessary to calm you and keep you focused.
4. Set mini deadlines. Break a project into steps, and celebrate each step as a small victory. And if you meet each deadline along the way, you're sure to meet your goal.
5. Recognize that no decision is final. Fritz brings up the excellent point that you can always re-evaluate decisions later. Things change, and that's okay. For those with anxiety, sometimes we need an extra reminder that it's okay to change things and take a different direction. In the end, switching up your strategy may produce better results.

So if you're feeling stressed, follow these recommendations. You may find you're able to approach projects with less hesitation when you have a consistent strategy for keeping calm and reducing stress.