How to work and meet crazy deadlines

Do you have a project with a mandatory deadline? and you're still thinking of how to go about it with the deadline gradually approaching.

Or may be you have multiple tasks to accomplish and you're still doing the same thing as the deadline loom.

You must remember that "lost time is never found again

-Benjamin Franklin. So this may be the last chance you have to prove your worthiness for a more lucrative project and you'll be doomed if you ruin it by not meeting the specific deadline. Remember that as a business person,time is your greatest asset.

It's obviously more important than money because once lost it can't be recovered again but you can always make more money. Benjamin Franklin knew better when he said that "time is money.

"waste your money and you're only out of money,but waste your time and you've lost a part of your life.

-Michael LeBoeuf

These tips below will help you break large projects into smaller bites and meet those crazy deadlines that wants to tear you apart. The first thing you must do is to;

Identify the deadline of your project

Of course the only thing that makes you tense and stressed up is the closeness of the deadline. It's approaching speediously and aren't getting anything done or probably you haven't even started. OK lets assume that you already know the time then move on to the next step which is;

Breaking down the main project into smaller sub-tasks.

For example,if you're a freelance writer and your client has given you a deadline to complete a particular article. Then not to worry,all you need to do is to write down the sub-headings of your article after you must have written down the main heading. Issue a mini-deadline to each sub-heading and have a schedule to work on it.

Breaking the article into chunks makes it easier and even gives you some spare time to edit and overhaul your completed article. This is something that most people know but still don't apply it. They forget that "wisdom is the power to put your time and knowledge to the proper use"

-Thomas J. Watson

or may be they don't even know that. Pace yourself and work in sections and your productivity will be guaranteed.

If you have a very short time,then you have to be very creative and consider trimming your tasks to speed up your work. Remember that you're not just trying to meet a deadline but to complete a quality work in a very short time. So,it's not all about completing the work but meeting up with the requirements as well.

Continually evaluate how realistic your time frame is and work mindfully and carefully. So when you're done with defining each sub-tasks, and set time and end date for each,then the next step is to;

Re-evaluate your deadline and consolidate tasks

Use whatever method that appeals to you and make sure that you stay on track. You can create an effective To-Do List and be committed to it. Cut corners where you can without affecting the whole quality of your work. Access your progress calmly because with these tips,you'll definitely meet your deadline. Depending on the size or complexity of the task you may also consider;

hiring someone to help you

The fact is that there are certain works you can't simply do on your own. In this situation,you may hire the services of an expert of that specific work or enlist help from reliable colleagues or friends. Delegate all the tasks you can't do personally and make sure that the sub tasks remain on schedule and within the budget. This is a simply principle of division of labor which will not only speed up the work process but will save you some energy with more work being done.

Besides all these steps,you need to be very organized

Use scheduling and notification software such as Microsoft project to put yourself in order. Use the sheets features to organize and keep all the relevant information you need while working. Being organized will save you more time and help you to avoid unnecessary errors.

Work in a step by step format and avoid skipping any step. In short don't leave any work half-done(it's counterproductive and wastes time). Do the first things first before you move on to the next one so that you wouldn't come back to it again. The fact that the work has a mandatory headline is an evidence that it's very important to your client,so the quality of the work is a major factor to be considered.

Finally,it's very important that you reset your deadline

Do not work up until the day it's due. It'll be wise to set your deadline a day before,so that you can have time to go through the completed project.

Remember that "you must govern the clock and not be governed by it"

-Golda Meir. So manage your time effectively and efficiently and you'll have much work done in less time. You'll meet those crazy deadlines without any negative effect on the quality of your work.

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