January 3rd, 2013Top StoryHow Can I Make Deadlines Less Stressful?By Melanie Pinola
Signed, Dear Distraught, Make Sure Your Deadlines Are Realistic
The solution is to try to get a more realistic sense of how much time is needed and plan accordingly: Get a more accurate read on how long similar tasks take: Look to past projects or set up a time tracking system with a tool like RescueTime—and then try to add a padding for any unknowns. (As a rule of thumb, Paul Wilson writes in Calm at Work that things generally take twice as long, cost twice as much, and bring half the rewards that you anticipate,) See if you can negotiate a later deadline: If someone sets a deadline for you and it seems unreasonable or too tight, consider whether the deadline is flexible and if you can make a case for getting more time added (e.g., say "I've got X and Y and Z to do with this project, and I think it will realistically take this much time to accomplish—if nothing goes wrong. I'd rather do it right than rushed.") As negotiation training expert Dr. Karrass writes:
Just thinking of deadlines as flexible and not set in stone could be a relief to you. Think of each task or project as an unfamiliar one: The familiarity bias says when we're more familiar with the early steps of a project, we're more likely to delay starting it and, perhaps, underestimate how much time is needed to complete it. So think of each task as a new, unfamiliar one to make sure you're thinking of your given time appropriately. Get More Control By Redefining Deadlines as Time AllocationsSome people work well under pressure and think of deadlines as the ultimate inspiration. For the rest of us, deadlines are threatening. The difference between these two groups? It may be all about how you perceive time and how much control over your time you think you have. In other words, our minds are causing these time pressures, rather than the clock. Focus on how much time you have to work with: To take back control—and thus reduce the stress of a deadline—Wilson recommends translating a deadline into how much time you have to work with (your "time allocation") and then vary the time allocation a little so you are in control:
While it's practical to have deadlines on your calendar, you can implement this mind hack by adding the time allocation rather than the due date beside each item on your task or project list. Keep a record of the hours you spend against this self-assigned time allocation. Work Backwards
Break a project down to its smallest steps and note how long each step takes to complete, writing them down on a spreadsheet or other tool. This will give you a list of your priorities and when you should start working on them, as well as a sense of organization and purpose. It will also help you prioritize when everything seems important (e.g., you've got multiple deadlines around the same time). Remember, though, as with the ultimate deadline, it helps to have realistic estimates of how long each of these smaller tasks take and to think of the deadlines as flexible targets (as much as the project allows). Troubleshoot Your Deadline IssuesIf you've got a chronic deadline issue (e.g., you're always brushing up against or missing deadlines or you continue to loathe them to the point of having anxiety about them), lie back on our couch and tell us:
For all situations, if you start to worry when a deadline nears, take a deep breath. Relax, remember all the preparation you've done (or, if not, the skills you can rely on), and get to work. Focus on the work and what you need to do, and you may find you don't even need to give that deadline a second thought. Love, Have a question or suggestion for Ask Lifehacker? Send it to tips+asklh@lifehacker.com. Click to view |
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