Dealing with tight deadlines at work is stressful, we feel you. That’s why H1 Marketing’s here to lend you a helping hand and share a simple guide for dealing with deadlines, so you can finally relax and enjoy your work again.
Why Should You Know How to Manage Deadlines?
The answer at first may seem rather obvious: to be able to finish all of your tasks on time. That’s true but actually, there’s another major reason for it. When you deal with tight deadlines on the daily basics and don’t handle them well — it dramatically impacts your health and even your personal life.
When you have a lot of tasks with tight deadlines, first thing first, you start to feel stressed. And it can cause a series of issues for you:
And it’s just the beginning. That’s why it’s essential to organize your work in a way that will allow you to enjoy, not stress.
When you have a lot of tasks with tight deadlines, first thing first, you start to feel stressed. And it can cause a series of issues for you:
- Decreased performance. You work slowly and poorly.
- Health issues. You fall sick and need to stay home.
- Poor workplace atmosphere. You feel nervous which may affect even those who don’t experience deadline issues.
- Interpersonal conflicts. It might include blaming one another for the existing situation.
- Financial losses. Always taking sick leaves may affect your salary, plus you’ll have to spend more on medicine to get better.
- Problems at home. Yes, you feel stressed and sometimes it can affect your close ones too.
And it’s just the beginning. That’s why it’s essential to organize your work in a way that will allow you to enjoy, not stress.
Let’s Make Your Job Enjoyable again!
First Solution: Make sure that deadlines are set correctly
It does occasionally happens that you get some emergency tasks that need to be done fast. But generally speaking, your work shouldn’t always be stuffed with tight deadlines. It can only indicate that they are being placed unrealistically — and it requires a change.
Next time at the meeting or when someone hands a new task over to you, don’t be afraid to tell them that it can’t be delivered this fast. Make yourself clear and let people know that you need more time. A team will always listen and go on your side if the situation is truly unfair.
Next time at the meeting or when someone hands a new task over to you, don’t be afraid to tell them that it can’t be delivered this fast. Make yourself clear and let people know that you need more time. A team will always listen and go on your side if the situation is truly unfair.
Second Solution: Chop your work into pieces
Look at the task and chop it up. Name, define, and describe every single action that you need to take to complete it.
Every task consists of a series of actions. Their understanding is the key to identifying the right way for solving it faster. It might seem tedious but trust us — it’s worth the effort.
Every task consists of a series of actions. Their understanding is the key to identifying the right way for solving it faster. It might seem tedious but trust us — it’s worth the effort.
Third Solution: Create smaller timelines
With all of your tasks divided into multiple small pieces, it’s time to organize and timeline them.
Yes, you’ll need to make deadlines within deadlines. But don’t be afraid.
Those mini-deadlines will help you better understand when each thing needs to be completed to deliver the whole task on time.
Yes, you’ll need to make deadlines within deadlines. But don’t be afraid.
Those mini-deadlines will help you better understand when each thing needs to be completed to deliver the whole task on time.
Fourth Solution: Get to work beforehand
When a deadline is set a few weeks or even a month prior, we usually tend to push such tasks for later thinking that there’s plenty of time left.
However, during this period of “there’s still plenty of time left” we receive more and more tasks and they start piling up. And once the deadline comes to an end, we have a lot of incomplete work that needs to be done.
To avoid this, start working on your tasks in advance. Don’t do them entirely at once but try to make parts of it — this way you’ll have a completed task right for the deadline.
However, during this period of “there’s still plenty of time left” we receive more and more tasks and they start piling up. And once the deadline comes to an end, we have a lot of incomplete work that needs to be done.
To avoid this, start working on your tasks in advance. Don’t do them entirely at once but try to make parts of it — this way you’ll have a completed task right for the deadline.
Fifth Solution: Learn to say NO when needed
It’s not the best idea to take on extra work when you already have plenty to do. If someone asks you to do a few more tasks, it’d be better if you let them know that you can’t make them right now.
It won’t show your unprofessionalism but quite opposite. Extra work leads to stress. And stress means sloppy work and more failed deadlines. So, make your tasks in order and communicate with your coworkers — no need to worry, they’ll understand everything.
It won’t show your unprofessionalism but quite opposite. Extra work leads to stress. And stress means sloppy work and more failed deadlines. So, make your tasks in order and communicate with your coworkers — no need to worry, they’ll understand everything.
Six Solution: DO NOT leave work for weekends
Weekends are needed for breaks which are a must for your mental and physical condition. Don’t leave your work thinking that you’ll complete some tasks on weekends. This will only make you more tired and the next week you won’t be able to perform your best leading to more stressful deadlines.
Just rest, go somewhere, and forget about work for these few days — believe us, it will help you a lot.
Just rest, go somewhere, and forget about work for these few days — believe us, it will help you a lot.
Time to get to work!
Dealing with tight deadlines is one of the most stressful things at work. But no need to worry, every problem can be resolved and this one is not an exception. Small changes in your routine can make a world of differences to help you deal with deadlines.
Follow H1 Market’s guide and get useful tips that’ll help to enjoy your job like never before!
Follow H1 Market’s guide and get useful tips that’ll help to enjoy your job like never before!