Most days, I’m able to write just one blog entry. But when I’m preparing for a vacation, I’m always able to write 7-10 posts ahead of time and queue them to post daily while I’m gone. Why does an impending vacation make me more productive? The rest of the work I have to do and the time I have to do it stays constant (in fact, there’s usually more on my plate to wrap up before I leave). The only thing that changes is the deadline.
Seniors, if you’re still working on your college applications, if your progress is slow and you’ve got writer’s block and you just can’t seem to get through what you need to do, change your deadline. Pretend you need to have everything submitted by Monday. Then work like your hair is on fire to meet that deadline.
You don’t necessarily have to submit what you complete by Monday, and I wouldn’t advise that you trade a quick application for a well-completed one. But before you can find perfection, you’ve got to make progress. And sometimes the best way to do that is to change your deadline.