Balancing admission essay with capstone deadline?

I'm a 34-year-old returning student in a nursing program, and I'm stuck between finalizing my personal statement for a residency and finishing my capstone project. My advisor mentioned that my essay draft feels disjointed because I'm rushing it, but I don't know how to structure it effectively with so little time. I need to know if I should prioritize the essay's narrative arc or just focus on meeting the word count before the application portal closes.