Dancing with Deadlines

Have you ever wondered about the origin of the word deadline? According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary 2008 (Accessed 13 June 2008), the word can be traced back to 1864, and referred to "a line drawn within or around a prison that a prisoner passes at the risk of being shot.” The word is used now to signify a time that something is due, and in the publishing world, the deadline is that last date that an article or manuscript can be received to make a certain publication issue.

As a writer, I need deadlines. They motivate me. What I don’t like is how they sneak up on me and then woo me into dancing late into the night. Like tonight—writing this article that I’d planned to post on Friday.

Sometimes the deadline dance occurs when I don’t plan ahead, but usually my dance is the result of my unrealistic estimate of the time needed to complete a project. Can you relate? Oh sure, I can do that for you! Nah, it won’t take much time at all. Piece of cake.

Hints for Dealing with Deadlines

1. Plan ahead!
2. Write due dates in your planner.
3. What is the first step you must take to complete the project? Write it down.
4. Break the entire project into small steps, and
5. Give yourself intermediate deadlines to complete the steps.
6. Be realistic about the amount of time needed to complete the project.
7. Trick yourself into finishing the project early by creating a due date that is several days earlier than the real deadline.
8. Expect the unexpected: there is always something else vying for your attention when you have a deadline. If you don’t wait until the last minute to finish the project, you have wiggle-room to deal with the unexpected.
9. When all else fails, join me in the Midnight Deadline Dance!

Do you have hints for dealing with deadlines? We’d love to have you share them in the comment section!

Vie Herlocker