Millions of people all over the world are rushing to complete final purchases before the stroke of midnight. It’s the biggest retail deadline of the year, which raises the question: do deadlines make us more productive?

The intensity of the holiday season is caused by fixation on December 25th. Every decoration must be completed by this date, every gift must be acquired, every Christmas card stamped and delivered. We privately measure success and failure by what we accomplish before this day. Christmas isn’t just a holiday, it’s also a stressor.

Here are a few choice quotes on the topic of deadlines:

A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it’s better than no inspiration at all. - Rita Mae Brown

A perfect method for adding drama to life is to wait until the deadline looms large. - Anonymous

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.  -Douglas Adams

Some people will insist that they appreciate the pressure of an absolute date, as it provides an easy way to measure progress. Others will claim that without a deadline they would have a hard time being motivated. But ultimately, deadlines are extrinsic factors. They are external, not internal. We may try to join our families before Christmas eve, but that time would still be meaningful if we arrived an hour or day later. After all, the real goal is not meeting the deadline but spending time with loved ones.

As you wrap up your own holiday season, remember that deadlines are not as important as results. If a flight is delayed, you will still arrive. If cards are not addressed in time, they will still eventually be delivered. The most productive way to spend holidays is not obsessing over the time remaining but enjoying the time together. That’s the source of the joy of the season.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Slaughter Development!

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