How to make deadlines work better for you

Plenty of people say to me, ‘I would never get anything done if it wasn’t for deadlines. It isn’t until the deadline starts to get near that I can get myself started.’

It can definitely be an effective strategy in terms of getting stuff done. However, it means that we’re using our threat system, with big dollops of adrenaline and cortisol, to scare ourselves into doing something.

In the right amounts, stress hormones can improve performance, but too much, or combining them with long hours and late nights, can actually impair our ability to use the logical, sophisticated prefrontal cortex.

So, not only do we feel anxious and out of control, but we’re probably not producing our best work either.

And when you’re running your own business, there are often plenty of tasks without any external deadlines at all. Nobody is going to tell you that you must finish updating your website, developing that new course or creating your lead magnet by Friday.

Which can make it even harder to get started.

Can we change our approach to deadlines?

If this is the way you typically get things done, it can be hard to change because the rush of chemicals can be addictive.

One common suggestion is to set your own deadline a few days earlier than the real one. Theoretically, this is a good idea, but if you crave that deadline rush, it’s unlikely to fool you because you KNOW you still have two more days.

But what if you actually didn’t?

In my work with clients, I teach them to time block, which means planning out the week ahead and deciding exactly what you’re going to do when, and for how long.

So, if you know that Monday from 2–4 pm is the only time you have this week to get a particular task done, then you’re much more likely to do it, even if it isn’t due until Friday.

This can be particularly helpful for freelance language teachers, who often have their working days broken up by lessons, meetings and other commitments.

You might have a couple of hours free on Monday afternoon, but then be teaching for most of the rest of the week. If you know that’s your only realistic opportunity to work on your new course or update your website, there’s a much stronger incentive to use that time well.

You’re effectively creating a deadline for yourself, but one that’s based on the time you actually have available.

Break the task down into bite-sized tasks

Another tip is to break down bigger projects into smaller tasks, and set aside time, and mini-deadlines, for each one.

This helps in a number of ways.

Firstly, it can help you estimate the time needed more accurately.

Human beings are terrible at estimating how long something is likely to take, and nearly always wildly underestimate. It’s known as the planning fallacy.

If you have ‘create a new online course’ on your to-do list, for example, it’s very difficult to know how long that’s going to take.

But if you break it down into researching what your potential clients want, planning the content, developing the materials, setting up the technology and so on, it’s much easier to make a realistic estimate.

You can also start to notice how long different tasks actually take you, and use that information to make better estimates in future.

Secondly, breaking tasks down can help us get over the hump of starting in the first place.

A big project can feel overwhelming, especially when we’re not entirely sure how we’re going to tackle it. But sitting down to spend 30 minutes working on one small part of it feels much more manageable.

And once we’ve got started, the whole thing often seems much less scary.

Finally, not only do we get a little spurt of adrenaline from having a mini-deadline, but we also get the quick payoff of a sense of achievement, a spurt of dopamine, which is part of what we’re craving when we leave things until just before the deadline.

Instead of spending weeks avoiding a task and then having to work frantically to finish it, we’re making steady progress and getting the satisfaction of ticking things off as we go.

So it’s win/win. Less stress, more productivity.

And perhaps most importantly, it means you can finish your working day knowing that you’ve made progress on the things that matter, rather than having that unfinished project hanging over you all evening.

Want some more guidance?

If you’d like some more guidance to help you make the most of the time you’ve got, have a look at my Earn Learn Thrive Productivity Planner, designed specifically for ELT freelancers and business owners.

Based on the system I teach my clients, the planner helps you break down your goals into bite-sized, manageable chunks and use your time more effectively. It’s a combination of goal setting, regular reviews and daily time blocking.

The planner is undated, so you can start whenever you like, and it’s organised into eight six-week sprints to help you keep reviewing your progress and adjusting your plans.

The aim is to help you get more done AND reduce the amount of time you spend hunched over your desk.

You can find the Earn Learn Thrive Productivity Planner on Amazon.

If you purchase through my affiliate link, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

You can also explore more practical ideas for managing your workload, protecting your time and building a sustainable business in my Productivity and Systems Resource Centre.