When I was in junior high and high school, I would procrastinate on homework and then have to rush and do a poor job. When I got into college, at first, I was always struggling with deadlines. It was then I realized that I did not like how it felt to be up against deadlines. But I could never get ahead. I left college, and when I returned, years later, I had developed a work ethic that helped me to not always be up against deadlines, but to work ahead. I liked that.
When I worked in the county hospital, they preached that discharge planning began at admission. I liked that plan, and worked it as much as I could. I did not like being on call and having to scramble to do things at a moment's notice. I worked pediatrics, and after several years, received permission to work 10 AM to 7 PM, as many parents did not arrive until after school or after work. This also worked well for the on call system, as most of the calls were for families of children. So, from 5 PM to 7 PM, I handled the on call referrals.
One night, right before quitting time, I was walking through PICU to see if there was anything I needed to know. An adminsitrator happened to be there, and told me I was brave to do that. My response was that I would much rather take care of my ward than have someone else have to try to do it, as I knew what needed to be done.
In my later jobs, I have always tried to work ahead. I left the hospital when I realized that I had become an adrenaline junkie, and could not relax or calm down until well into the night.
Since then, the jobs I have worked have had deadlines, and some emergent situations, but mostly, they are case management type situations that I can plan for and work at methodically and without being pushed up against deadlines. Oh, I have deadlines, but most of the time, I can plan ahead for them, and not let them become critical. And, I do try to be flexible.
Also, I do not work "by the clock." By that I mean I do not worry about putting in a day's time. I know what my duties are, what my patients need, and what I am expected to do. My theory is, if I plan my day to tend to my appointed job, by the end of the week, I will have put in my time. Mostly, I put in more than my time. But I feel good about accomplishing my tasks.
More than once at work, a coworker has asked "How late are you staying today?" or some version of that question. My response is usually, "I have a plan for what I want to accomplish, and then I will go home." There are days my plans get scuttled. And I can be flexible about that. But my mind set is that I have a job to do, and today, my plan is to do this much. If I can do more, great. If reasonably, I can not complete what I want to, I can adjust. If emergencies occur forcing me to adjust, I will.
I have an ability to guestimate how much time each of my tasks at work will require. This allows me to set my plan for the day. I prioritize by deadlines, importance of task, ease of accomplishments, and then what's left. This works for me.
I do not try to meet standards. I know what the standards are. What I try to do, is do the best possible job I can in the situation in which I find myself. This usually means that not only do I meet standards, I exceed them.
So, I do not like the adrenaline rush of meeting deadlines. I do not like the tired feeling of slogging away at meeting a deadline. I like to do my tasks in a timely way and not feel pressured.
Life does always allow that. I can adjust.
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