What is it about a deadline?

Seriously, what is it about a deadline that inspires work? And why do we (I) allow work to pile up so that there is pressure to finish that work? Today I was given a pile of completed portfolios (notebooks) to grade by my graduate students, and I need to get them back to them by Wednesday - two days from now. One would think with such a short turn around time, I would have dived right into them to make sure they are done prior to class.

I've had time this evening to do a little grading, but I don't feel like it. Yes, I taught today, then picked up the kids, bought yet another pair of running shoes, let the kids finish a movie, took them to Golden Corral (DD2's version of "good eats" and her request for where to eat out after camp), completed a sorority conference call/webinar, surfed on facebook... surely there was time in there to do some grading? Remember, these notebooks need to get back to students on Wednesday.

Oh, and not just grading, but the conference proposal that is due on Wednesday, too. Let's not even think about the tenure and promotion notebooks that I've yet to start that only determine, oh, my future. But those aren't due Wednesday. Those aren't due until next month.

This is summer, right? Shouldn't there be a law against grading in the summer?

photo source