BLITZING

Can you get through “Crunch Times” without getting squeezed?

I’ll never forget the summer of 2002.  My twin sister and I were celebrating a milestone birthday on August 20th.  In mid-June, I decided to make her a special gift to mark the occasion.  That decision took over my life for the next two months! 

My sister and I have always been close.  For one of our special birthdays (the ones that end with zero) I made her a photo album of her entire life.  For the next round number birthday, I made her a music “album” – 50 songs, from the time we were kids to her latest favorites.  That left only one option for the next big birthday:  a video album of her life.  I knew this was a major undertaking – and I’d left it a tad late –  but I was determined to see it through.

The summer was a blur.  I looked up old friends to reminisce about school days and summer camps.  I took pictures of houses we lived in, schools we attended and landmark buildings from our childhood.   To make matters worse, I was going all over Toronto in the middle of the Pope’s visit – so there were road closures and other complications.  It was hot and muggy and I was shlepping my camera equipment around town on public transit and on foot.  Then there was the massive job of editing, adding music and special effects.  Fortunately, I had help from a brilliant collaborator named Mark Woollard.

There are times when we have momentous tasks ahead of us.  Some of these are work-related:  accountants at tax season; doctors during flu season; retailers before Christmas; corporate year-end and annual general meetings; starting a new business.  Other examples include studying for final exams; building a deck; moving into your first house;. preparing a major art exhibit or stage play; writing a university thesis or working on a political campaign.  They all involve a tremendous amount of time, effort and energy compressed into a finite period of time.  I call it “Blitzing”.

Here are some suggestions to help you handle these intense situations, allowing you to operate effectively but still keep your stress level down.  
Think three words: Pacing, Perspective and Permission.

PACING

  • Plan the project in advance.  Write out a schedule with times for each part.
  • Clear the decks.  Set aside all discretionary work that is not related to the major task.  Make this project your sole priority.
  • Assemble the resources you’ll need.   Arrange for help as needed.
  • Take time outs.  No one can do high concentration or physically demanding work for hours on end.  Regular breaks of even 5-10 minutes will help clear your head, reduce your stress and restore your energy.
  • Avoid long hours.  12 and 14-hour days lead to exhaustion and inefficiency.  9 or 10 hours of solid work will serve you better.  Sometimes less is more. 
  • Take at least 1 day off each week for diversion, distraction and decompression.

PERSPECTIVE

  • Remind yourself that you’re here by choice – i.e. you picked this project or  line of work.  Blitz times go with the territory.
  • You’re not alone.  Your colleagues, classmates, family members, etc., are in the same boat.
  • It’s time-limited – most of the stress will end at a defined point in time, (for example, accountants at tax season circle that delicious date in April when life returns to normal.)
  • I remind accountants that April is a good month to kiss away on work – it’s too  late to ski and too wet for golf.  You have all spring and summer to enjoy yourself.  Adapt this concept to your own season and situation.

PERMISSION

  • Give yourself permission to take care of yourself.
  • Get adequate sleep.  It’s vital.  All the symptoms of sleep deprivation (fatigue,  decreased concentration, reduced short-term memory, irritability, depression) are all also symptoms of stress.  Lack of sleep impairs your efficiency, leading to mistakes in accuracy and judgement.  And the work takes longer.
  • Maintain regular meals.
  • Daily exercise is a great stress reliever.  Even though basic health habits are mundane and seem dispensable, they’re actually more important when you’re under pressure.
  • Stay away from caffeine and other artificial stimulants – or use them in moderation.

TWO OTHER TIPS

  • Plan a vacation or something special to reward yourself after this grueling marathon.
  • Start earlier next time so you can avoid the last minute sprint to the finish.

We still enjoy watching my sister’s video. It’s a priceless memento that was, for me, a labor of love.  But for our next milestone birthday, I think we’ll all just go on a cruise and leave the work at home!

All material copyrighted, David B. Posen M.D.