Working ahead is my default mode. I don’t like waiting until the last minute to complete a task. I like to have a buffer. I like to give things space and time. In the case of my writing, the extra space and time allows me to edit the work and to tinker with it until I know it’s as ready as it’s ever going to be. I hit publish or submit the work and keep moving forward. I keep working ahead.
My proclivity might be a sign of an obsessive-compulsive nature, and it probably is. Being in control is important to me. Having a plan, specifically a long-term plan, is a priority. Even so, the tendency toward control and working ahead is something I have to watch – I’m aware that it can spiral out of control. Most of the time, if I keep it in check, it keeps me in good stead. I can continue with the work that requires more time and attention because I’ve worked ahead on other things.
I might even go so far as to state that working ahead gives me flexibility. If I know a solution I’ve offered isn’t going to work two weeks before the deadline, I have the chance to revamp my idea. I can do that because I’ve created a buffer for that particular project, and I’m already working ahead on other things. The same goes for special events. If I know I have conferences to attend the next month, I can work ahead on certain projects so that I’m not concerned with them during those conferences. Planning and working ahead gives me better control over my time and energy.
Life has a way of intruding upon my “work ahead” philosophy; I sometimes have to live in my buffer zone, something I dislike doing. Living there tends to make me feel panicky and irritable. I try to change residences as quickly as possible. While the buffer is designed for emergencies, it’s not meant to be a permanent dwelling. I lose ground when I’m in the buffer. I eventually am no longer staying ahead. I’m fighting to stay caught up. I have to escape that buffer. I have to stay outside it so that I have a clear view of where I am and of where I need and want to go.
Image: Sean MacEntee (CC BY 2.0)
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