Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. We’ve all heard it. We spend days procrastinating or working at half capacity on a project until the deadline looms…
In that moment, when time is running out and becomes our worst enemy, suddenly, our most productive, creative, and efficient self comes to light. The work we had been progressing slowly comes to life unexpectedly. Why didn’t we work this way from the beginning? And where does that energy that gives us that “final push” come from?
Why do we tend to leave everything to the end?
In an ideal world, when we set a goal or have a project ahead of us, we plan every step and execute it with precision. But we don’t live in an ideal world, but rather in a chaotic and ever-changing environment that offers us a thousand reasons—or excuses—to procrastinate or shirk our responsibilities.
This is nothing new. According to Parkinson’s Laws, “work expands to fill the time available for its completion” and “the time devoted to any item on our agenda is inversely proportional to its importance.”
That is, if we’re given two weeks to complete a report, we’ll likely do it in two weeks. If we’re given three days, we’ll do it in those three days. That’s because our brain is adept at adhering to limits, even if it means suffering a little (or a lot) in the end.
When we have more time on our hands, we not only procrastinate, but we also digress and pay more attention to inconsequential details that prevent us from moving forward at a good pace. In many cases, we put off the most important tasks because they make us anxious or simply because they seem boring. But when there’s no escape, when the deadline is just around the corner, our brain stops resisting and focuses completely.
The “Magic” of the Final Push or the Power of the Countdown
From an evolutionary perspective, our brains are programmed to prioritize the urgent. Thousands of years ago, we didn’t need to give PowerPoint presentations or write theses. We just had to hunt, protect ourselves, or flee from the predator on duty. And all of these things required an immediate and effective reaction. In other words, performing at 100% when danger was imminent.
Today, that same response is triggered when we feel like time is running out. When deadlines approach, our levels of cortisol and adrenaline increase, two hormones that put us in “urgent action” mode. This urgent reaction helps us focus and gives us extra energy, turning us into a kind of “productive ninja.”
The sense of urgency fosters a state of hyperfocus. It’s as if our brain thinks: “If you don’t do this now, you’ll look incompetent in front of your boss/teacher/client. Do you really want that?” And of course, we don’t. The prospect of failure activates that ancient mechanism and gives us the final push we need to bring out the best in us, even if we’re tired or think we can’t take it anymore.
Why shouldn’t we operate under pressure all the time?
Of course, leaving everything to the last minute isn’t a good idea, simply because it’s exhausting, both physically and psychologically. Our mental and physical energy has limits.
Pressure, stress, and adrenaline can be useful occasionally, but living in that state constantly is like driving with the accelerator always on the floor: we may move faster, but in a more risky manner.
In fact, what we achieved in a sleepless night of coffee may seem brilliant at the time, but we’ll likely discover later that it’s flawed or simply exhausted, leaving us unable to perform the next day.
Therefore, the key is to understand how to use pressure to our advantage, without letting it become a way of life.
How to Take Advantage of the “Last Push” Without Dying in the Attempt
While the last minute can bring out the best in us, it’s not the healthiest long-term strategy. We could do better and less painfully if we started earlier or planned better.
1.Apply automatic deadlines. Trick your brain by setting the deadline a few days before the actual date. That way, when the real deadline arrives, you’ll be ready (or at least, not so desperate).
2. Divide and conquer. Instead of viewing the project as a giant monster, break it down into smaller, manageable tasks by setting mini-deadlines for each. This way, the final push will be less painful.
3.Immediate rewards. No matter how hard you try to share out the work, you’re likely to end up procrastinating without a good incentive. So reward your small advances with something pleasurable (a coffee, an episode of your favorite TV show). The brain responds best to short-term incentives.
There’s no doubt that the “last push” is a sign of our incredible adaptability. The brain, although it sometimes seems like our worst enemy, knows when to hit the gas. However, we shouldn’t take it to the extreme—or at least not frequently. The secret lies in finding a balance: using that emergency energy when necessary, but without making it our only way of functioning.
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