America has always run on deadlines, and it may be too late to change it. I believe that most of global society runs on deadlines. However, humans become unbelievably stressed out at the thought of deadlines. Some people manage their time strategically to avoid the thought of a stressful deadline, and other people procrastinate for the high they get from working under pressure. Regardless, deadlines always stress people out.
Part of me is starting to believe that deadlines aren’t meant for humans, and deadlines aren’t meant for the world. Most people just expect deadlines. Whether it’s the 30 seconds one should have to wait for McDonald’s fast food, or the deadlines given to you by your professors. Even those deadlines that seem like they’ll never come, so you don’t have to do too much work on them. Like adulthood (no one has quite figured out an appropriate deadline for that).
Are deadlines healthy? I just recently recommenced a cycle of ADHD medication because of deadlines. The reason I stopped is that I felt the medication wasn’t healthy for me. Dizziness, loss of appetite, depression, and no desire to be around my friends simply was not worth meeting a deadline in college. Then, over the months without my medication, I watched my social life grow while my grades fell. I somewhat feel as if I am risking my happiness to meet deadlines.
This is not a research post where I think critically into why deadlines may not be worth it. However, I want whoever is reading this to think: are deadlines worth your happiness? Do you really get happiness from the positive reinforcement of a good grade? Will the good grade matter when you have your career? Do you think you could have gotten that same career without that ONE good grade?
I mean, do you work. And always do your best. But I think it’s important that you remember never to invest yourself into things that aren’t investing back to you.