Competing priorities. Slack pings. Calendar changes. A manager who suddenly “needs it today.” If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. One of the most common sources of workplace frustration is the chaos that happens when deadlines collide. You’re expected to deliver high-quality work under unrealistic timelines while still managing everything else on your plate.
The pressure can trigger anxiety, irritability, and even burnout. But there is a way to stay focused, calm, and productive even when your workload feels like a pileup. The LOWER Method – Label, Own, Wait, Explore, Resolve – offers a clear roadmap for handling time pressure without losing your emotional balance.
Let’s break it down.
Why Competing Deadlines Push Us Over the Edge
When your schedule changes at the last minute or you have to juggle multiple “urgent” tasks, your brain goes into threat mode. It becomes harder to think through problems, prioritize clearly, or stay patient with coworkers. Instead, frustration takes the wheel.
Psychologists note that time pressure and constant deadlines are major drivers of workplace stress, especially when workers feel they have little control over how and when they do their tasks. Resources like the American Psychological Association’s guide on coping with stress at work explain how ongoing deadline pressure can impact both mental and physical health.
That’s why it’s so important to slow down mentally – just a little – before reacting to the chaos. LOWER gives you that space.
The LOWER Method for Competing Deadlines
1. Label: “That’s frustrating when deadlines collide”
The first step is acknowledging what’s happening inside you.
“That’s frustrating when deadlines collide and everyone expects me to deliver immediately.”
Instead of internalizing the pressure – or snapping at someone who adds another task – labeling your frustration brings clarity. It signals your brain to switch from emotional overload to problem-solving mode. It puts a name on your experience so it stops feeling like a tidal wave and becomes something you can manage.
Labeling is kinder, calmer, and far more productive than blaming others or venting impulsively. It keeps the moment contained instead of letting it spiral.
2. Own: “I feel frustrated when my priorities keep shifting”
Owning your feeling redirects blame from “they’re ruining my day” to “I’m having a real emotional response to a tough situation.”
Try saying:
“I feel frustrated when my priorities keep shifting and I can’t get ahead on anything.”
This doesn’t excuse poor planning from others. It simply grounds you in your own experience. When you own your emotion, you regain control – because you can’t regulate something you don’t acknowledge.
Owning is also kinder than attacking the situation or people involved. It puts the focus on your inner state, where real change can happen.
3. Wait: Pause before reacting or rearranging everything
When deadlines collide, your instinct is to jump, react, or scramble. But this often leads to mistakes, poor prioritization, and even more pressure.
A short pause – 30 seconds, a deep breath, a walk to refill your coffee – interrupts the urgency illusion. Use this space to ask:
- What is actually urgent versus emotionally urgent?
- Are all these deadlines real – or just loud?
- Who can clarify expectations?
The Wait step keeps you from overcommitting or rearranging your whole day based on incomplete information.
4. Explore: What can you adjust, communicate, or delegate?
Once you’ve labeled, owned, and waited, the Explore step helps you find options you may have overlooked in the moment of stress.
Here are four effective strategies when deadlines collide:
1. Clarify priorities with your manager
Say something like:
“Here are the three urgent tasks you assigned. Which one is the top priority? And what can shift to tomorrow?”
You’re not complaining – you’re seeking alignment.
If you want more practical structure for this, tools like MindTools’ guide on managing conflicting priorities walk through how to clarify what truly matters and negotiate expectations when multiple people are competing for your time.
2. Renegotiate timelines where possible
Most deadlines are not naturally urgent; they are simply unexamined.
Ask:
“If this is needed today, can we adjust expectations on the other items I’m working on?”
Research on “extension request avoidance” suggests that asking for more time on adjustable deadlines can actually reduce time stress and improve well-being, especially when expectations are realistic and clearly communicated.
People often forget what’s already on your plate until you remind them.
3. Break down each task into its smallest workable next step
This calms the brain and reduces the overwhelm.
Instead of thinking:
“I have to finish everything today,”
switch to:
“I need 20 focused minutes on Task A to get the first draft done.”
Progress builds momentum.
4. Use micro-delegation to free up mental bandwidth
Examples:
- “Can you pull those numbers while I draft the report?”
- “Can someone else run the meeting if I’m writing the proposal?”
Delegation isn’t a sign of weakness – it’s a sign of strategic leadership.
Exploration shifts you from reactive to resourceful.
5. Resolve: Choose your next step with clarity and confidence
Resolution isn’t about completing everything instantly. It’s about choosing the next best move with a calm, grounded mind.
Your final step may look like:
- Updating your calendar with realistic timelines
- Sending priority-clarifying messages
- Creating a short working sprint for the task you’ll tackle first
- Communicating progress milestones
Resolve is where action returns – guided by clarity instead of pressure.
Practical Tips to Stay Calm When Deadlines Collide
• Use time-blocking for the top priority only
Don’t block your entire calendar – just the first, most important task.
• Shut off nonessential notifications for one hour
Slack and email can wait while you get momentum.
• Keep a “collision list”
This is a simple note where you record everything that shifts, gets added, or changes.
Managers appreciate the visibility, and it protects you from feeling blindsided.
• Ask clarifying questions instead of saying “I can’t”
This keeps the conversation collaborative.
If you want more concrete, step-by-step advice, career sites like Indeed have helpful breakdowns – see their article on competing deadlines: definition, steps and tips for another structured approach that complements the LOWER method.
FAQs
Why do I freeze up when too many deadlines hit at once?
Your brain experiences competing deadlines as a threat, triggering stress responses that make prioritizing harder. Using the LOWER method interrupts this overload and helps you move from panic to planning.
How do I say no without sounding unhelpful?
Use priority-clarifying questions:
“I can do A or B today. Which is more important?”
You’re not refusing – you’re partnering on realistic expectations.
What if every deadline is described as urgent?
That’s a sign of unrealistic expectations or lack of visibility. Use the Explore step to show your current workload, ask what can move, and document what’s been agreed so urgency can be evaluated fairly.
Closing Thoughts
When deadlines collide, it’s easy to slip into overwhelm or resentment. But that cycle isn’t inevitable. The LOWER Method helps you pause, breathe, understand your emotional state, and make decisions from a calmer, more strategic place.
The pressure may not disappear – but your ability to navigate it with clarity and confidence grows every time you use these steps.
If you’re facing a week of competing requests, shifting calendars, and “urgent” everything, remember:
You can stay calm.
You can stay productive.
And you can reclaim control when the pressure hits.
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