Master Your Deadlines
The struggle begins in high school, sometimes earlier. Deadlines, and lots of them, start to pile up. At college, the pressure sometimes leads to last-minute rush and unsatisfactory work. At work, failing to meet deadlines can easily get you fired. Here are a few best practices.
▪Assign deadlines to what matters.
If the task isn't of high importance, don't set a specific deadline. In this way, you are able to keep it on your radar for a while without feeling pressured. This will provide just enough pressure to ensure you get it done.
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Set a personal deadline for yourself a day or two before the actual deadline. If you're working with a group of people, add in even more time to account for potential follow-ups and the need for approvals.
▪ Keep communicating.
This means letting others know when something is taking longer than expected, when a delivery didn't come in, when a client is not providing the necessary information, etc. Although it may feel embarrassing to admit that something is not on schedule, being honest is much better for relieving your stress.
A. Plan for flexible hours.
B. Finish your project as early as possible.
C. But if an activity is urgent, set a deadline immediately.
D. In this way, you'll never have to stay up late and feel stressed.
E. But handled properly, deadlines can actually improve productivity.
F. Whenever you feel challenged to finish work on time, communicate.
G. So if anything takes longer than expected, you can still wrap it up and submit it on time.
