To meet or not to meet..

a deadline..

It had been a while since I had stringent deadlines to meet. I had fit into the role of a SAHM, with unexpected ease. The only strict deadline I meet these days is getting daughter to school on time. Once that is done, I have a comparatively easy and tension-free day. After years of crazy work schedules and near impossible deadlines, the life I lead now, is almost idyllic in comparison.  There were days, when I used to see mothers pushing buggies on the road and wonder how it must feel. Well, I know now.

I had quite forgotten how it was to have a deadline and the feeling one gets, when it is about to be missed. Today, however, I had a deadline that I thought I would miss – that of the NaBloPoMo post. Normally, I plan in advance for most of my deadlines, and am normally comfortably within the acceptable time limits. Today, was a different ball game altogether.

We had no concrete plans for today. I had been feeling rather under the weather after last night’s movie. I am not a night owl, and late nights really pull me down. It was at the last-minute that we decided to drive up to Yorkshire Dales to a waterfall trail. I left home, with clothes drying outside, definite that we would be back before nightfall. Fate had other plans. We ended up eating out and getting home very late. So late that it was pitch dark outside, which is saying something, as it is light up to 10, on most days here, these days. Along with the darkening sky, I had this fear, that I would miss the post, which is something I just did not want to do.

I have this thing about deadlines. I cannot bear to miss it. I think the competitive spirit in me kicks in as soon as I am on the verge of messing things up. I have always managed to meet deadlines and thankfully, managed to scrape through today as well.

How good are you with deadlines? Do you like them? Or do you find deadlines terribly restricting? I do know that creative people are normally not too fond of deadlines. That, I guess indicates how non-creative, I am. I thrive on deadlines. I love that adrenaline rush that it gives me. And it also reminded me of all the parts of my job that I used to enjoy. The madness, the craziness and the joy when deadlines were met, clients were satisfied.. and that feeling that you gave it your all..