Lessons learnt in last minute app submission

Today I submitted 3 apps (Darden / Duke / Ross ) at one go and it was nothing short of a marathon.
I filled the applications forms in a frenzied pace and completed them with less than 1/2 hour to the deadline.

I learnt many important lessons in the process.
1) Application Forms - although I have read posts saying people overlook it, I never imagined it would be this difficult, the number of forms, the weirdness of questions and beyond all that it takes so many hours to fill them. I had assumed it would take max 1-2 hours. But I ended up spending more than 4 hours on some schools.
Lesson: Don't underestimate the effort or time for Appln forms

2) As an addendum to the first part, the application form might have some essay questions that you have known earlier. In my case, I weaved the Darden fit in my Essay1 only to realize that the application form had a specific question of fit at the last minute. I had to rework both my essays with just an hour for the deadline.
Lesson: Don't leave the appln forms for the last. Its better to go through it earlier to get an idea of what is required.

3) Recommenders not showing up at the last minute - One of my recommenders was on long vacation and promised to get things done by Dec 31. But he was still working on the draft version on Jan 2nd and on Jan 3rd night he was asking me for examples to fill for the questions and I spent solid 2 hours on discussions with him. I had regularly followed it up with him to the extent of not forcing him. Gave him all the relevant data sheets. I am not sure what I could have done better other than more persuasion
Lesson: Hmmmm...Don't trust their words, get things done. Be more proactive.

To add to the long list of problems, I had formatting problems with my essay questions and resume.
The kind of tensions I went through is unexplainable. I was worried that so many weeks of effort on essays would go in vain due to my careless mistakes. Neways, All is well that ends well. I am glad I managed to submit everything in the nick of time.
Hope the adcoms like my essays!

Another marathon week lies ahead as I plan to target Chicago and Kellogg essays from the scratch. (Poor time management or whatever you could call it :( )

Good luck to all the fellow applicants applying in R2 and Yeah remember to get stuff other than essays also in place earlier!