Good Idea #1

I've decided to put a number on this title because I am very confident that I will be inspired to blog about more "Good Ideas" I believe this idea is a good one, but due to shades of grey, it will never be presented in reality.

How many times have you shown up late for work because of a traffic incident, an unreasonably long phone conversation with a utility company, or just from over sleeping? I am a firm believer that being late for a deadline generates more stress than we should allow it. I suggest that our society erradicates deadlines for many things. However, deadlines may be necessary for some things such as, but not limited to:

• Work related projects
• Legal proceedings
• Bill Payment (You win this time, Adelphia)
• Ransom Payment
  

But seriously... What if instead of being scheduled to arrive at work at 9am, you were scheduled to arrive at work between 9am and 10am? Depending on how far into the hour you arrived, you would have to stay that much longer into the 5pm hour. You can forget about being upset for being 14 minutes late to work and letting it affect your attitude in the work enviornment for the rest of the day, because it's all right. You were on time. You are a very punctual human being.
Supervisors and Managers need not be burdoned by the devils influence to "Write you up." or give you a "Verbal Warning." Because you arrived ON TIME.

I know you're saying, "But Mark, I work in this type of business. This wouldn't work because of this and that." Well dedicated reader, there can be many forms of "Deadline Erradication" --if I may-- designed for all types of businesses. Lets steal some atmosphere from "The Good Pen" and talk about the restaurant business. Workers would no longer be expected to show up at a certain time, but in a time frame before the expected lunch or dinner rush. There really isn't much stress put on punctuality in the restaurant business, but what there is needs to be ERRADICATED.

I also disagree with exact deadlines for book reports, assignments, and projects in school. I believe that we as a society can safely and effectively make time frames for completed school work to promote unique creativity and prolonged inspiration. Teachers would have to adjust lesson plans accordingly to get used to grading papers for a longer period of time, but in the long run it will bring on more well thought out memoirs, more detailed paintings, and more unique projects. Sure, some will try to cheat the system, but they can all be failed with no second chances and would have to get jobs to support their drug habit. The greatest teachers I ever had were always softys when it came to deadlines. This is a good thing.

To summarize my idea: Missed deadlines = stress. Stress can carry over into a poor attitude, a poor effort, and a bad mood that doesn't mix with happy workers and or students.