Walking Any Fine Line

You've been given a deadline. You have an approximate idea how long the task will take to complete. You wait until the last minute to do it.

Although I don't consider myself a procrastinator, I have still followed the script above many times in my life. For me, it's a fine line between procrastination and the edge I get completing something when time is running out. I've often felt this edge helped me to focus more on the task. How often have you told yourself this same story? How do you know when you're crossing over the line into procrastination? More importantly, how closely aligned are the standards you use for the word procrastination when you apply it to others as the standard you use for yourself?

After I identify any fine line I feel like I'm walking, my next step is to rely on people I trust to tell me when I might be crossing that line. I'm interested today in hearing about any fine lines you walk and the strategies you use to help you know when you're crossing them.