Meeting deadlines got you all tensed? Here' what you can do

1.   Make sure it’s realistic

Agreeing to an unreasonable deadline is why many workers end up feeling overwhelmed most of the time. If you know that a certain task is not achievable by a date that has been assigned to you then don’t agree to it – only agree to ones that are reasonable and realistic.

2. Make a commitment

If you agree to meet a deadline then you need to make a commitment to do so. If you have a lazy attitude towards delivering your tasks on time then you’ll never put in the effort required to finish them and it will impact on your productivity.

3. Understand the specifics

Once you’ve agreed to the deadline and made a commitment to meeting it, you need to understand exactly what is required of you. Some of the most important things you must know are, what time and date is the deadline? What exactly is it that your employer or client requires of you? Make sure you know the answer to these questions before you get started.

4. Take some notes

When you get a new task that you need to complete by a given date, make sure to take some notes. Always write down the task and the deadline. Keep it where you can see it every day and make sure to write an effective task list if you want to be even more efficient.

5. Cut the task into smaller pieces

One of the reasons why people feel overwhelmed by deadlines so often is because they don't cut their task into smaller pieces. Make sure to take your overall task and then cut it down so you can see the micro steps you need to take in order to achieve it.

Once you’ve done this, you can then assign yourself steps that you must take each day in order to hit the deadline and complete the task at hand. Being able to visualize what you need to do will massively affect whether or not you can reach the deadline in time.

6. Work in a bubble

One of the best ways to increase your productivity and meeting deadlines at work is to get rid of distractions. Make sure your work space is quiet or, if it’s not, at least make sure you won’t be distracted easily. Turn off social media and unnecessary email notifications. You need to be in a bubble, so to speak, so that you can get yourself in the zone. Following just this one strategy will make you twice as productive.

7. Ask for help

There is nothing wrong with asking for help. If you need some minor assistance with a particular aspect of the task, then ask for it. A little extra help never hurt anyone, especially if it’s going to help you meet the deadline - your manager will appreciate you not trying to do more than you can handle.