Meeting Deadlines to get "Work Done"

“To think is easy. To act is difficult. To act as one thinks is the most difficult.” — Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth

Been working for about 2 years in a Technology startup as a Software Programmer, delivering projects and meeting deadlines has been one of the biggest challenges which I or my colleagues have faced. Every time a situation occurs where we are unable to deliver on time, I contemplate What went wrong?, How could it have been done more efficiently in the same time frame? At the end of the day, is that the most efficient use of my time?

Humans are born to be procrastinators. It’s easy to plan and throw dates yet it’s practically inevitable to deliver it all in time.

The prime hurdle for many of us including me is simply getting started. We can all execute our tasks and make an impact if we throw away all the reasons that lead us to procrastinating tasks.

After some thinking and reading, I conclude :

1. If you try a methodology and it fails, it simply means that it doesn't suit you, try other approaches.

2. Take one step at a time. I have heard my CEO say it time and again "Do one thing well , not many things poorly". It's not possible to do everything in one week or a few but I think the trick is to stay consistent in our efforts. Stay clear on what needs to be done at one time instead of combining many priorities.

3. Focus , Focus , Focus..... Re-think your tasks . What is it that I should achieve? What needs to be done to achieve it? What steps to take? Is what you're doing currently in sync with it? If not then what can you do about it?

“If you see distraction externally, you end up creating an internally distracted state.” — Tim Ferriss .

4. No ideal time to begin: Something which I tend to do very often. Stop looking for a ideal time to begin. There would never be one. The perfect time is now.

No training , mantra books etc are good enough if we do not take the initiative ourselves to check off our to do lists. None of us are alone in this. We all feel the stress to deliver and in time.

Next delivery in 18 days... Will implement these approaches and see if it works.