HOW TO BEAT AN IMPOSSIBLE DEADLINE

Deadlines are a unifying human experience. We all face them and a lot of us struggle with them. If you’re reading this, you have a deadline staring you down and you might be paralysed. Regardless of how much time you have, there are actions you can take to meet the deadline, extend it or get support for it.

Multi-tasking is the number one enemy of deadlines and an unfortunate consequence of the fast paced workplace. Recognising the positive learning effects of multitasking will make you less intimidated by deadlines. It is true that multi-tasking can heighten stress levels, lead to errors when jumping from task to task and lower efficiency on your part. It also builds time management skills that actually increase performance, switching between tasks builds resilience and a better reaction to complex tasks and it increases your employability.

1. Don’t panic, it isn’t worth it.

We’re all too familiar with the paralysing effects of panic. When we’re panicking it makes it difficult to even acknowledge our ability to do the task or even start the task. Unfortunately, panicking can have even more serious consequences than procrastination. Panic attacks, anxiety attacks, excessive sweating and a racing heart are some physical symptoms associated with panicking.

When trying to meet your deadline, it sometimes helps to plan out the likely scenario of what happens if you miss it. In a lot of cases, the consequence is better than you’d think. And in every case, panicking isn’t worth the stress it causes you. Recognising that panic will only make it harder for you to do the task is essential to meeting or even trying to meet your deadline.

2. Break down your tasks

You have to break down the task into smaller chunks. Doing some kind of work is always better than not putting in any effort. When you break down your tasks you can also start with the more enjoyable areas. Breaking down your task has structural benefits too. It allows you to understand the true scope of the project, which parts are essential and which parts are not.

3. Prioritise – ABCDE

Meeting your deadline is a priority in itself. Understanding where this deadline fits in with what your business is doing helps you mobilise resources to accomplish the task. Ask yourself, what is the goal of this deadline? Once you understand this, you can prioritise your tasks with the ABCDE method developed by Brian Tracy. It is deceptively simple yet highly effective.

After breaking down the project you will then rank each task with the letter A, B, C, D, or E.

A – the most important task

‘A’ tasks are the highest priority tasks because they bear critical consequences to your job, client or school. These tasks must be completed and so should be the first place you begin.

It is good practice to only put 3 or so tasks in this category so as to not overwhelm yourself or your team. This of course depends on the type of deadline you are facing, the industry you work in and your history with other deadlines.

B – the tasks with minor consequences

‘B’ tasks bear less serious consequences than their predecessor ‘A’ tasks. While they are important, they bear no direct or little effect on the larger goal of the deadline. These are tasks you can potentially do after the due date and have minor consequences if not completed in time. You need to plan to get these done before they become ‘A’ tasks.

C – tasks with no consequences

‘C’ tasks have no consequences if not completed. They are different for everyone but can include anything like adding graphics to a presentation or buying take away rather than cooking a meal you had planned.

D – Delegate

‘D’ tasks should be immediately delegated to someone else because they are of low importance or skill but are still urgent.

E – Eliminate

‘E’ tasks generally have low priority and low importance so do not need to be attempted. They should be considered clutter on your list and eliminated immediately.

4. Submit

Perfection is impossible and so you should never plan for it. Quality work is often imperfect yet easy to understand. Your work should meet the main aim of the task but you should never feel that because it is ‘incomplete’ or ‘needs work’ it should not be presented. Things go wrong more times than we’d like them too. If you’re going to fail, fail honourably and face the consequences. As long as a reasonable attempt has been made to meet the deadline, you should go ahead with your submission. This might mean working until the very last minute. Remember that something is better than nothing and it is better to be late than not show up at all.

5. Look at the bigger picture

Whatever the attempt, you should always inform your superior, supervisor or client about any trouble you’re facing just in case you cannot meet the deadline. If you have some kind of documented evidence of an attempt to push back the deadline, the consequence of missing it should be less severe than any last minute emails flaking on the deadline. This is especially true if you already know you cannot beat the clock.

6. Reward yourself

Going through the daunting task of trying to meet a deadline is enough to celebrate yourself and your team. Work is an important aspect of your life but it should not be the sole purpose of your life. When a deadline passes, watch a movie you’ve been planning to see, meet up with a friend or buy yourself something you’ve been wanting.

Rewarding yourself is an essential component in building a positive relationship with your work and with deadlines. If you never appreciate yourself after working hard, you might become disillusioned with your job or school. Burnout is real and rewarding yourself helps to mitigate its occurrence and its effects.

7. Figure out how you got here

a. Good planning is hard or unfamiliar to you

Believe it or not, planning does not come easy to everyone. We are naturally gifted in some areas of our lives and we also struggle with other areas. This is true for everyone. If planning falls on the list of things you struggle with, the first thing to do is realise it is a skill you can learn.

The more you exercise your planning muscle, the stronger it will become. They are incredible resources and tools to help you be a better planner. Find out what works for you and what doesn’t. Respect yourself enough to commit to learning this skill and take as much time as you need to do it. But you should never stop trying.

b. You overcommit

While being a ‘Yes’ person may have its benefits, it is counter productive when you are struggling to meet deadlines. Recognise that you have limitations. You can do alot but you can NOT do everything. Never accept vague deadlines like ‘a couple of days’ or ‘a few weeks’. Determine the expectations of a task or job before you commit to it. It isn’t the end of the world if you say ‘No’.

c. You don’t have a master calendar

A master calendar is an indispensable tool. Simply write down all your deadlines as soon as you become aware of them. Remembering them is not enough. If you struggle at keeping deadlines, give yourself a buffer by writing down deadlines a few days earlier than the actual due date. Treat these ‘pseudo-deadlines’ as real deadlines that you must strive to meet. Commit to these deadlines and work backwards so you understand the optimal time to begin the tasks.

d. You don’t know how to delegate

Believe in your team and your ability to lead them. After breaking down your tasks the next step is delegation. Focus on specialised tasks only you can do. Much like yourself, your team’s work won’t be perfect. See delegation as a learning opportunity for you and your team.