Can’t Get Work Done? Set Yourself an Impossible Deadline.

Well, a near impossible deadline

It’s 6:00PM, I have a history essay due tomorrow at 3.

And I haven’t started.

I can’t even muster the strength to open my laptop and figure out what I’m supposed to write about.

So what do I do?

I set a deadline.

I give myself 3 hours to finish my essay. If I don’t finish it by then I’ll stop working on it, hold my head down tomorrow and ask my teacher for an extension.

So with the timer set and the clock ticking, I get to work.

3 hours later the ringtone of the alarm goes off and it’s nine o clock.

My essay is done. With a cheeky smile on my face I submit my paper.

A week later I open the gradebook and see a shiny, beautiful A- sitting beside my essay.

Now would it have been better to actually have prepared for the assignment a week beforehand, you bet. But sometimes you find yourself in a pinch needing to get work done.

The trick, set yourself an impossible deadline.

How do I Set an Impossible Deadline?

I get it. You’ve procrastinated, told yourself you’ll get the work done before it’s due. And before you know it, it’s the day. You’re in trouble.

So what do you do?

Set an impossible deadline. And by impossible deadline I don’t mean literally impossible. As in don’t give yourself 5 minutes to complete a presentation.

Rather figure out how long it would normally take to complete it. And cut that in half. Make that your deadline.

For me an essay from start to finish plus research would take 6–9 hours. I be tough and cut 6 in half and try to do it in 3. I end up getting it done. It works.

Why Do Impossible Deadlines Work?

You probably already know of Parkinson’s law. But if you don’t. To sum it up it’s basically a theory that says work expands or shrinks to fill the amount of time allocated for it.

You wonder why it takes so long to finish a project a month in advance versus being able to do it the day before it’s due. Parkinson’s law is why.

Make it a habit.

Now of course don’t always wait till the last minute to do your work. Try to get it done on time.

But we can manoeuvre this technique to work in our favour.

When you are given homework from your teacher or an assignment from your boss, set yourself a deadline that same day to get it done.

Follow the same steps listed above, and rinse and repeat for every assignment.

What will happen is you’ll end up building the habit of getting work done the day it is assigned and in less time. Which is every productivity guru’s dream.