Waiting Till the Last Minute

This is a topic that's been on my mind much these past few days.  In the past three days, I've had two different publishers send me proofs to correct, along with the admonishment that the sooner I could get them corrected and back to them, the better, as they were already behind on their production schedule. 

I haven't been immune from the last-minute bug myself.  Most weeks I try to have this Wednesday morning post written some time on Tuesday and scheduled to post Wednesday morning; I'm writing this one at 9 am Wednesday. 

We all know people who seem to live their lives at the last minute -- always two or three minutes late to everything, never thinking ahead, always looking just far enough ahead to stay afloat.  Even those of us who pride ourselves on trying to do things well in advance fall prey to it from time to time.

Waiting till the last minute is a mixed blessing and, handled carefully and in small doses, can actually be a boon to the Creative.  First, the pros:

• Looming deadlines focus creativity -- With a deadline fast approaching, our brains start throwing out anything and everything in an effort to make headway on a project.  The idea for today's post came in a frantic attempt to figure out quickly what to write about today.
• Looming deadlines help with completion -- Many of us Creatives aren't the best at finishing projects, yet having a looming deadline, especially a firm one one imposed upon us by outside forces, helps us stay on task long enough to get things finished.
• Waiting till the last minute makes us spend less time on a project -- With any project, we have the option to get it done quickly or to drag it out interminably.  Waiting till the last minute all but guarantees we'll get it done in the shortest time possible.

Of course, along with the pros, we have a myriad of cons:

• Looming deadlines limit choice -- When we have a short time in which to come up with and bring our ideas to fruition, we generally have to pick an idea and run with it no matter what.  Even if halfway through a project we hit upon a better idea, we often don't have the time to go back, start from scratch, and use the new idea.
• Waiting till the last minute can lead to worse results -- Sometimes we spend extra time on a project because we're dawdling, but sometimes we spend extra time because the project needs it to be the best it can be.  Waiting until the last minute fixes our timeline, regardless of how much time we feel the project really needs.
• Waiting till the last minute is a source of stress -- As someone who usually gets things done well in advance, I can say it's nice to know that, if things just aren't working right, or I'm tired and not thinking clearly, I have the option of putting the work off until the next day with no real penalty.  I'm more relaxed as a result, and not forcing the outcome.  When I wait till the last minute, even if I feel on death's door, I have to push on, worrying about the deadline coming ever closer, and worrying about the fact I know I'm not doing my best.

It takes all kinds of people in this world, and even people who prefer to get things done early find themselves in this position from time to time.  When that happens, realize it's not all bad -- there are some definite benefits to waiting.

And if you're the sort who always does everything at the last minute, realize there are great benefits to be had by doing things earlier; if you're not happy with procrastinating, remind yourself of the plus side of doing things sooner, and give it a try.

Now, if you'll pardon me, I'm going to go and work on a project that isn't due for several months.