Why do deadlines increase productivity?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Urgency activates stress response
Time limits improve focus — Wrong. Deadlines do focus attention, but the mechanism is stress activation—moderate arousal improves performance (Yerkes-Dodson law).
Urgency activates stress response ✓ — Correct! Approaching deadlines trigger mild stress response (cortisol, adrenaline), increasing arousal and focus. This follows the Yerkes-Dodson law: moderate stress optimizes performance. Deadlines also combat Parkinson's Law ('work expands to fill time available'). Without urgency, tasks drift. Stress activation = focused action!
Competition with others — Wrong. Deadlines work even for solo tasks. The pressure comes from time scarcity, not social competition.