Saw this online over the weekend from comics writer Ryan North:
It's a great tip. There's nothing like a ticking clock to create a sense of urgency.
It's well worth reading the thread that commented on North's tip. Lots of great (and of course funny) examples of watching it play out. One of my favorites: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, but time was running out." Tell me you don't want to read that story right this second.
Fun writing exercise to start our shorter week (which always somehow seems longer to me): write out the loglines of three projects you're either considering or have already done. And then see what happens if you add North's prompt to the end. See if it gives you any fresh ideas...
