How to Protect Focus During a Deadline Week

A deadline week is not the time to run a perfect system. It is the time to reduce competing demands.

Name the deadline work

Be specific about what must be true by the deadline. A clear finish line prevents every related task from becoming urgent.

Check messages often enough to avoid blockers, but not continuously. Tell key people when you are heads-down and how to reach you for real issues.

Short walks, meals away from the screen, and sleep boundaries protect judgment. Exhaustion creates rework.