The Four Best Ways to Set Deadlines That You Will Really Stick To
The last time you needed to tackle a major project, you set a deadline for yourself, and then you got very close to fully implementing it. Result: You hurriedly finished (or spent the entire night) and then vowed that it would never happen again.
This post was originally published on the Muse website .
While you had the best intentions, something happens: you were busy, or distracted, or procrastinating, or forgotten. But to get a different result next time, you can’t just set the same time frame and expect different results. You will need to act in a way that truly inspires you to get the job done.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Make them urgent
It’s easy to postpone a task when you have all the time to complete it (for example, a deadline of two months is not a useful goal). Without feeling urgency, you can consistently pursue more exciting activities than any other job you have to do.
The solution is simple: set deadlines as close to the current moment as possible. Instead of giving yourself a month to do something, tell yourself that you will do it this week. Not only will you be more focused throughout the entire process, but you will also start working on your assignment earlier than usual.
2. Make them personal
Everyone thinks differently. You know this firsthand, because there was more than one meeting where you and your colleague suggested different ways to solve a problem. If you tune in to your skills, experience, and preferences, you’ll come up with a better system than simply setting deadlines like everyone else.
Productivity expert Carson Tate suggests that people can be divided into four categories: prioritizers, planners, arrangers, and visualizers. The ideal system for everyone lives up to the name: Priority setters and planners love to work according to how long each part of the task takes, organizers focus on how they feel, and visualizers are motivated by looking at the big picture.
So instead of just saying, “I have to complete this task by [date],” consider whether you will boost by focusing on the task as a whole, in parts, or in relation to the rest of the projects, you are more likely to sit down and work on it. …
3. Make them actionable
You have the best intentions, but when your tasks are like trying to flip a mountain in a day, it can be difficult to sit down and get started. After all, if you can barely fight off your target, is it worth it?
Instead, try breaking your projects down into smaller, actionable steps. One way to divide your task into small chunks is to imagine that you can only work in 10 minute segments . If it takes all day to “finish the report” ask yourself what could you do in 10 minutes: sketch out the first part, create two or three slides, or edit what you have written so far?
If you’re having trouble getting started, highlighting one helpful 10-minute chunk will help you get started – and if you like this system, you can continue until you’re done.
4. Make them meaningful
What happens if you miss your deadline ? Are you telling yourself it’s okay?
If there is no responsibility, there is no reason to stick to them. The solution here is to tell someone about it or use the app (I love Any.do ). Don’t just write it down, you’ll have this report finished by Monday, tell your boss that he can expect it early next week. Rather than just trying to send feedback to your teammate before the end of the day, email them to tell them it’s your goal.
Having an external motivator prevents you from simply pushing the task away and justifying it in your head.
Deadlines are supposed to increase productivity, rather than lead to a cycle of self-loathing: setting a goal, letting it go, feeling bad, and repeating the same process again. So, if your system isn’t working for you, try the tips above to get better at your job and get more done.
4 Best Ways To Set Deadlines You Will Really Stick To | Muse