DEADLINE!!!



Image from What to Do When You Miss a Deadline at Work

DEADLINE!!!  There is something about the combination of the words "dead" and "line" that strikes an ominous sensation, as if a noose was waving over one's head.  Where did such a severe word come from?  History suggests that the word "deadline" originated in the prison at Fort Sumter during the Civil War.  There was a line drawn in the prison grounds which prisoners were totally forbidden to cross.  If prisoners disobeyed the regulation, they were shot dead on the spot.  Check out the link to this story: History Spaces: WHERE DID THE TERM "DEADLINE" ORIGINATE? 

     With the exception of those who impose them, deadlines are most likely universally despised, especially by procrastinators.  Follow the link to a fun quiz: How Bad Of A Procrastinator Are You.  We all have deadlines, whether in work, school, or personal life.  Rather than cursing deadlines, let's learn to manage them with a game plan.  The game plan is simple: complete all tasks before you reach the line of death.  How can you do this?  You need a strategy-just as you do in exercise, dieting, or saving for retirement.
 
     Here are some great strategies.  Plan on spreading your workload throughout the week, rather than completing assignments in one day.  Schedule your work time and stick to the schedule.  Try holding sessions of work right before your favorite show, so that when you finish it, your show can be your reward.  If you really feel that you have no time to do your work in a day, set your alarm to 30 minutes earlier than you normally would; you'll find that it feels great to get something done before your day has actually begun.  This time can be quite productive with no one else awake to cause distractions.  Try taking your work materials with you whenever you are out of the house and use the time spent waiting at appointments, etc.  to accomplish something.  Accomplishing a little every day leads to big rewards in the end.

     Instead of grumbling about and despising deadlines, please consider that crossing them means that the noose has been tied around your neck.  Finishing tasks after their deadline impacts career advancement, academic records, and credit scores.  Don't let your neck get stuck in the noose.  Do something about it before it arrives.  Get the deadline before it gets you!