Whether at work or in classrooms, many of us ignore our activities till they pile up and we have to hurry to finish. I remember while in school, the night before the assignment submission, or the morning before the teacher’s arrival, was the pressure hour. Everyone would go into panic mode hoping to stretch the time allocated. People who develop with such attitudes continue to exhibit this even to their workplaces. Many small business owners have lost their clients because of perceived untrustworthiness. Many others have incurred stress related health issues as a result of this and much more.
Historically, Deadlines were the lines used to keep prisoners at bay. Any prisoner that crosses such line within or around the prison is at the risk of being shot.
Why do we need to meet deadlines?
Deadlines help to provide structure. While a life without deadlines may sound nice to some, ultimately, work has to be completed. Having a bunch of things hanging over our heads indefinitely, only creates stress. Additionally, it is important to recognize that our professional repute hinges on whether or not we are reliable. Employees who meet deadlines and produce high-quality work are more relied on.
Here are simple tricks to meeting work deadlines:
Prioritize your Priorities: This means to plan your tasks according to the manner of urgency. For those whose job relates to workmanship skills, it is impossible to be a magician or have inherent superpowers. So explain to your clients when you know you wouldn’t be able to meet the given time. Always apologize in advance if you discover you would not meet the proposed deadline.
Focus on the First Step: When you have a staircase in your presence, the first is for you to take it one step at a time. Jumping two steps may make you miss one which may make you fall flat on your face. It is best to focus clearly on the work given to you.
Break the task into pieces: While the task you are assigned to may look enormous, breaking it into bits would remove the perceived weight. Give yourself smaller deadlines and allocate small projects into the time slots. If you are a student, work in structures. You can plan a day to study on the topic, other days to gather materials and read. This would enable you to have enough time to proofread before submitting the work. A well-prepared assignment ensembles your thoughts and makes you look professional than a rushed piece.
Construct Time Windows: Give yourself extra time before your deadline. It is a good idea to build a cushion into your project timeline. If unanticipated hiccups or delays occur, a cushion will help to ensure that you are still able to meet your deadline. Additionally, you want to avoid the downfalls associated with waiting until the last minute. Remove all time-consuming distractions and work in your comfort zone.
Know Yourself: Understanding your personality is key to overcoming deadlines. You are the most important factor in setting and meeting with a deadline. Rather than struggle with pressure from been unable to meet up, It is best to rearrange the deadline. Set a new date and focus working towards it, by having communication with your supervisor.
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This article was first published on 6th September 2017
adepeju
Adepeju Adenuga is a writer (considering where you are reading this, makes perfect sense). She holds a Masters Degree in Literature in English from the University of Lagos.
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