Cinderella’s Solution to Impossible Deadlines

If I may take a moment to rant, I'd like to share my disgust for impossible deadlines. The completely unreasonable due dates encompass a very wide range of actual deadlines extending from the "I need it now" deadline to the "I need it yesterday" deadline. Why is it that office professionals like you and me are faced with every unreasonable task in corporate America?

"Turn this stapler into gold, Libby."

"Make this problem disappear, Libby."

"Lib, can you make it rain diamonds?"  

A much more fitting title for all of us would be "miracle workers." Sometimes I feel like a modern day Cinderella! I know I'm being a little melodramatic, but difficult deadlines are often one of the reasons we stress out and hate our jobs at moments throughout our careers.

So, what in the world can we do about it? There will always be deadlines, and we'll always be asked to pull off the impossible. So rather than become a victim, I suggest we learn to deal with it constructively, with or without our Fairy Godmother's magic. 

Negotiate

This may or may not work depending on the task, but it's always a good idea to try to negotiate for more time when you feel a due date is unreasonable. If you think the work will take you a week to complete, ask for a couple of more days on top of that to account for incidentals and unforeseen delays. Projects are rarely ever simple to complete without any issues and it's always better to ask for some more time than to disappoint by missing the deadline.

Chunk It

When a deadline is looming and there is much to be done, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and hopeless. But, there's one method that never fails to put the project into perspective. Chop the project into chunks to be worked on one at a time or to delegate to different folks. Set goals for each chunk by determining how much work you will do for each one on a day-to-day basis. For example: if you're creating a presentation, divide each part into a half-day or a whole day. Do section one on day one and so on. If you can keep going, do it. The extra work will only put you ahead of schedule.

Conflicting Complications

In many instances you'll be faced with more than one project and overlapping deadlines. This only adds to the stress you already have. Don't take it lying down. While you don't want to seem like you can't handle everything your boss throws at you, sometimes you have to communicate your concerns. In these situations, it's time to talk to your boss about prioritizing your workload. Find out which projects are most important or, if necessary, ask for more help to do it all. This can also be used in combination with negotiating extended deadlines.

Self-Compensation

As much as we'd like to receive a few bucks, a spa pass or just a day off for our intense efforts, it's probably not going to happen on a regular basis. So, we have to reward ourselves. Motivation comes in many forms but for me, I'm extremely psyched to complete a project knowing that I'm going to get my hair done, or eat a fantastic lunch that I've been craving (yes, I'm motivated by food) or some other treat I don't allow myself on a daily basis. This keeps me pushing through the stress and complications that come with complex projects.

If you're working with a team of individuals to complete a task, it's not a terrible idea to reward them as well. Of course, you'll need to discuss it with your boss as you can't foot the bill for everyone, but it's a great way to thank them for all their hard work.

As grim as the outlook might seem when it comes to outrageous deadlines, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, we often feel too far away to even get a glimpse of it. It's incredibly important that you keep your wits about you and try not to stress out. This will only complicate the issue further. Do what you can, but don't sacrifice everything for unreasonable tasks. If it becomes too much, you simply must communicate your feelings to your boss. He or she will probably be more understanding than you think and the two of you together can create reasonable solutions to the problems.