I’m not sure if this one counts, only because I didn’t have much of a choice. When my boss asked me if I would coordinate a big, time-sensitive project, even though the thought of attempting it terrifies me, there’s no way I could say no. (I don’t say no!) But I’m letting it slide because of the sheer amount of fear the thought of this responsibility inspires in my brain.

Without getting too specific about what the project was, here are the general parameters: a week to complete it, at least 3 dozen questions requiring in-depth answers, coordination of the experts who would be answering some of those questions, answers to others, and the creation of a written retrospective of an older project. The majority of the responsibility didn’t fall into my lap until around 4:00 pm on the Friday before the Monday the entire thing was due.

I tend to procrastinate. Sometimes, in college, I even convinced myself that I worked better having procrastinated, because I had to just get down to work with no dithering. In this situation, there can be no procrastination: every spare moment will be required to get this done and get it done well.

Although I like to consider myself a writer, the written pieces are not a type of writing I have much experience in. That plus the tight time frame makes me so nervous when I think about whether I can handle this or not.

But I have to! So I will.