What Does Crunch Time Look Like For You?

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Here's a question I don't think we've discussed before: What does “crunch time” look like for you? How does it differ from your regular pace for tasks and productivity? Do you crash afterwards?

In the past, we've talked about productivity hacks, our favorite books on productivity, scheduling breaks to increase productivity, and how to make the most of your productive times. Feel free to share your own general productivity tips in the comments! 

Some Thoughts on Crunch Time

A few thoughts pinging around my head about this…

• There's a meme about the creative process that I truly identify with — it's basically a bar chart showing how much of the creative timeline is split between goofing off (90%), panicking (7%), and “all the work while crying (3%).”
• I think I've mentioned my recentish ADHD diagnosis on here — and with ADHD, there's are periods of hyperfocus that feel a lot to me like “crunch time.” (Here's a link to an ADDitude article on hyperfocus in case you're not familiar with the concept.) The thing that has given me a lot of food for thought recently is that a lot of ADHDers feel guilty that not every minute is hyperfocused, but that is your 150%, not your 100% or even something lower, like your 75%.

For me, crunch time/hyperfocus kicks in when things are really down to the wire, and suddenly tasks are easily viewed as discrete chunks instead of one big globby project. I swing into action with lists! Details! Getting stuff done! Waking up way too early to think about checklists! Staying up way too late thinking about checklists!

I will admit, I kind of like crunch time, because it reminds me of the Type A student and lawyer I used to be — even if it comes up at weird times, like before we leave on vacation or something.

Readers, what are your thoughts on crunch time? What does it look like for you, and how has that changed over the years? Do you feel burnt out afterwards? Do you have rituals during or after crunch time, like eating the same foods to make it easier (or treat yourself!) or booking a massage afterwards?

Stock photo via Deposit Photos / AndreyPopov.