{"id":2216,"date":"2023-04-26T07:24:10","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T11:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/4-habits-for-managing-high-stress-deadlines\/"},"modified":"2023-04-26T07:24:10","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T11:24:10","slug":"4-habits-for-managing-high-stress-deadlines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/4-habits-for-managing-high-stress-deadlines\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Habits for Managing High-Stress Deadlines"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A reader asked, \u201cCraig, I\u2019m a busy CPA and there are times of the year\u2014like tax season\u2014when work hours are extremely long and come with high-stress deadlines. These are the times when it becomes quite challenging to maintain ideal morning and evening routines. <\/span><\/p>\n

How can my routines be modified so I have more success and less stress during these times?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a great question\u2014and a timely one.<\/span><\/p>\n

As an entrepreneur, I struggle with this as well\u2014particularly during product launches and big events. For example, my stress always peaked during the time we\u2019d run our three-day Perfect Life Retreat. I played host to 300 attendees and lead sessions running from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. It can be exhausting\u2014without the proper planning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how I got through it: I<\/b> have <\/strong><\/span>created time management and productivity routines that, over time, become second nature<\/b>. We must build strong habits when our workload is moderate in preparation for times when stress is great.<\/span><\/p>\n

High-performing athletes are a great example of these routines in action. They must practice, practice, practice when the pressure is off so that they can win the gold medal when the pressure is on.<\/span><\/p>\n

L<\/span>ook at the young American figure skater, Nathan Chen. At 18 years old, he just competed in his first ever Olympic games. High pressure? Just a little\u2014but he practiced incessantly for the opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n

And yes, practice doesn\u2019t guarantee success. Even Chen fumbled his first Olympic skate. <\/span><\/p>\n

But do you know what happened when the pressure was off (on the final day of competition, when the figure skating prodigy sat in 17th place far outside of medal contention)? <\/span><\/p>\n

Chen was able to perform without stress, and relying on his perfect practice, rituals, and routines\u2014his second-nature abilities\u2014he went out and delivered a historical performance, completing a record six quad jumps<\/span><\/a> in one routine.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does this relate to you?<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, you need to practice, practice, practice. But you need to practice perfectly, because perfect practice makes perfect. You need to build habits of steel in the few weeks you have before tax time. With those second-nature habits in place, you\u2019ll make it through with minimal stress.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Here\u2019s where you should start:<\/span><\/p>\n

When high-pressure times hit, you\u2019ll be able to rely on these four tactics to improve your performance on what\u2019s most essential.<\/span><\/p>\n

But let\u2019s actually put this into action so you can see how effective these strategies are. <\/span><\/p>\n

Building the Perfect (and Stress-Free) Morning Routine <\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

I\u2019m going to steal a trick from Tony Robbins\u2019s version of \u201cpriming\u201d here.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As soon as you wake up, you need to \u201cchange your state\u201d as fast as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tony does a cold plunge into his pool.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tony\u2019s friend, a successful entrepreneur and speaker, Ed Mylett, jumps into the ocean at his home in California or in the lake at his vacation home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Listen to the first 15 minutes of Ed\u2019s podcast here<\/span><\/a>. He explains the importance of this state-changing routine, and why it works. The premise: Activating your sympathetic nervous system pushes you into a state of mental alertness. Once alert, you can dive into your Morning Routine focus exercise(s) right away.<\/span><\/p>\n

This may seem stressful, but it\u2019s actually the opposite. You\u2019re not giving your mind the opportunity to dally in doubts and excuses, compounding your stress. You\u2019re acting, not thinking about acting. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cutting Stress and Anxiety with an End-of-Day Routine<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

This is where a goal and time journal is extremely helpful. Take a few minutes every evening to write down any potential morning obstacles alongside your top goals. Think through each. How will you handle the obstacles when you face them? And what are the steps you\u2019re going to take to check your goals off your list\u2014before you even leave for work?<\/span><\/p>\n

This activity is about more than just mapping out to-dos. You\u2019re actually structuring success in your mind, which automatically reduces the stress induced by flailing around during chaotic mornings. You know what to expect and how you\u2019re going to tackle it. <\/span><\/p>\n

Prepping Pre-Bedtime<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

It may sound silly, but repeating this simple mantra will help you get into the zone when the alarm goes off in the morning:<\/span><\/p>\n

I will get up immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n

I will get up immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n

I will get up immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n

As soon as you wake up, remember the promise you made to yourself the night before.<\/span><\/p>\n

It also helps to keep your alarm clock across the room so you have to get up and change your state immediately. While this is tricky if you share your bed with someone, not wanting to wake them up also makes for a powerful motivator to get out of bed on time! <\/span><\/p>\n

Time-Blocking for Maximum Productivity<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve talked about this a lot, and the idea is simple: Grab a time journal (it can be the goal-setting journal mentioned above, modified for time-blocking) and separate out the main 2-3-hour time blocks in your day. Now fill them in with your most important to-dos. Keep an eye on your top goals as you do this, and make sure you\u2019re accomplishing those that are at the top of your list. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are all kinds of productivity benefits to this strategy. W<\/span>ith a time-blocking system in place, you\u2019ll r<\/span>ecognize shortcuts in your daily routine, things that don\u2019t work and must be avoided, and things that work almost instantly to improve your mood, memory, and success. Sometimes, boosting productivity is as easy as swapping that 4pm giant coffee with a soothing peppermint tea.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you know what to expect and what to accomplish throughout your day, your stress will be cut in half.<\/span><\/p>\n

#<\/span><\/p>\n

I want to close with a personal example of these methods in action so you can see that they actually work.<\/span><\/p>\n

When we hosted the Perfect Life Retreat last November, I assumed I would be operating on a paltry four hours of sleep for three days straight\u2014while somehow being engaged enough to shake hundreds of hands. I knew I had to ditch my energizing workouts and would be spending very little time on meals. Even my wardrobe changes needed to be timed!<\/span><\/p>\n

But my team and I planned ahead. Here\u2019s what we scheduled to ensure minimal stress:<\/span><\/p>\n