Deadlines and Stress

 I believe deadlines contribute more stress than any other events in our lives simply because they're so common. Some are internal, imposed by our own will. Others are external, imposed by someone outside our control.

I am currently under a deadline set by an outside entity. Every morning I wake with a feeling of dread and an upset stomach. Some of the stress is...wondering if we will be able to finish in time. We are older, not in good health, and have much to accomplish. And in the end, will it be enough?

Deadlines come in many forms. Writers--many of them--face deadlines. Those who write with a contract for a big publisher, may have a deadline set by the publisher. Indie writers (those who self-publish) write to self-imposed deadlines. I'm not very good with writing deadlines because there are so many outside events that interfere. Life happens at an increasing pace as you get older. Frequently, you have to make choices you aren't happy with.

In the day and age of Covid 19, deadlines are all around us. When will unemployment or stimulus or income tax checks show up? Will it be in time to cover the rent or food or other essentials? What if it doesn't? How will we manage? In the wider picture, how will we manage life?

Folks talk about depression and isolation and all sorts of other things we deal with daily, but I suspect those are mostly generated by the ever-present plethora of deadlines. We live by an internal calendar, always afraid we won't be able to accomplish whatever we need by our end-date.

And the stress...the stress is killing us.