Looming deadlines

For those who know me, you might also know that I have been studying nutrition for the past two and a half years. Well this past Monday I received the results of my final assignment, and with them, a letter of invitation to write the final exam. I knew this was coming but now it is finally here and looming quickly. What came as a surprise was that I only have until the end of February to write it. And since I am going to be away the third week of February, I have chosen Friday, February 14^th – cause I love exams – as the date to write my final. 

Suddenly I feel highly stressed out about how little time I have and how very much I have to get done. I’m sure this is a common feeling that most people can relate to.  Feeling overwhelmed, I thought the best thing to do would be to make a plan of action. I am going to have to structure my days fairly strictly. Monday through Thursday mornings after I get up I will write my blog, have breakfast and go to the dojo to teach my fitness class. I may stay for noon class and then come home, have lunch and study the rest of the afternoon. If something has to give, I can always skip the noon class. I will skip evening classes for the next 4 weeks except for Wednesdays when I have to teach. This is a big sacrifice and is going to be tough. But it’s short term pain for long term gain. Fridays I will blog first thing, then study (missing my usual TRX training session), ride my bike around midday, then go back to the books. On Saturday, I will go to the dojo to teach my usual morning classes and take sticks class at noon (or not) and then come home for lunch. I will study for 2 hours on Saturdays and ride for one hour. Then I will get ready to go out for the evening. Sundays will be mostly studying and doing a one hour ride. I will aim for at least 5 hours of studying on Fridays and Sundays.

Writing this plan, I am feeling calmer already. However I omitted time to run errands, attend appointments, meet with my personal training client, prepare for the upcoming nutrition seminars on February 6^th, prepare classes and do a nutritional evaluation that will be due. I will approach this latter as good practice for the exam, which requires us to do a case study in a very short period of time. I have agreed to do a one-time personal training session for someone as well. I should not have brought these things up. Now I’m getting stressed again. 

This weekend I will get the nutrition seminars ready. As part of my studying, I am planning to review one subject per day for the next 15 days. Then do an self-assessment. Then start over again.

My goal in writing all this in my blog was to put down in words what was going through my mind the last 2 days since I got the notice about my final exam. I am counting on being organized and disciplined enough to get me through the next 30 days.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you are stressed about meeting a deadline ,set your priorities and make a plan. If the plan doesn't work out exactly as expected, make adjustments as you go. Best of luck!