I’m setting my stopwatch.  I plan to write this post in 30 minutes or less.

Why the rush?  This week I’ve heard from more than a few stressed out students, my own kids included, who’ve been in the throes of end-of-semester panic.   Classes ended yesterday for GW and Georgetown undergrads, and the law students are already in the middle of exams.  I’ve been dispensing advice about minimizing distractions, organizing time, and setting reasonable goals to deal with overwhelming volumes of work.  So I thought it only fair to test it out myself.

Of course, a blog post doesn’t come close to a 30-page academic paper or a 90-page outline for a Constitutional Law final.  But I still have to focus my attention, quiet the internal critic, resist the urge to get a snack, and get the words down.

Only 15 minutes left.  (It took me 15 minutes to do just this much?  How will I ever finish?  This isn’t very interesting.  I’m not sure what else I have to say.  Why did I decide to do this?  What a stupid idea!)  I’m noticing some tension in my neck and chest.  The words aren’t flowing very quickly.  My mind is going blank!

(OK, take a deep breath.  Close your eyes and take three calming breaths.  You can type with your eyes closed.)

That’s better.  Still don’t know exactly where I’m going with this.  (I should have planned it beforehand.  It would have been easier with a plan.)

The urge to stop right now is getting stronger.  But fair is fair.  I’ll keep going until the 30 minutes are up.

I’ve learned something from this experiment.  Telling yourself you have to get something done in just 30 or 60 minutes, or even two hours, isn’t the best way to approach a deadline.  Better to leave yourself some leeway because the extra pressure of the clock raises your anxiety and clouds your thinking.  Keep that in mind for the next time.

But if you’re already in a bind and have no choice, set the clock for a half hour and push through.  Ignore the inner monologue and keep going.  Then take a break.  That’s what I’m going to do now.  Because my 30 minutes are up.

Full disclosure:  I did go back and make two-minutes’ worth of edits. (Not too bad!  This may not be my most brilliant piece of writing, but I’m OK with it.)

Another important takeaway lesson:  every effort doesn’t require perfection.  Sometimes you just have to get the job done.  So just do it.