The deadline is a very strange thing: it seems to be far, but it seems to be not. Everyone knows what a deadline is (and how difficult it is sometimes to meet it), from schoolchildren to top managers. Someone’s quarterly report is on fire, someone’s deliveries are disrupted. Sometimes all the deadlines fail, and there is no way to fix it, but this is not a reason to panic and sprinkle ashes on your head. How to get out of this situation with dignity, explained Valeria Konovalova, Associate Professor of the Department of Personnel Management of the State University of Management.
According to the expert, it is necessary to immediately report the problem to everyone affected by it. Pulling to the last minute is the worst thing you can do. After all, while there is time, you can find alternative solutions and agree on how to be. And if possible, do not throw off the blame on anyone or look for excuses for yourself. There is little sense from this.
It is also worth suggesting an alternative deadline for completing the work. But not a blurry “you need to wait a bit”, but a specific deadline, Konovalova explained. To do this, you need to outline the amount of work remaining and explain at what stage of its implementation you are and how much more is required. And again, try to compensate for the inconvenience by offering a bonus or giving away part of the work done.
Finally, it’s a good idea to regularly share details about the progress of the work (so everyone will think that there will be no more problems) and make every effort to meet the new deadline.
Sociologists have found that every third noticed a habit of postponing things for later. Even if there is no single and universal remedy for procrastination, it is worth making a detailed to-do list, dividing time into segments for work and leisure (and do not forget about the latter so as not to burn out) and try to protect yourself from unnecessary information, especially from social networks and gadgets.
