Ever have a task without a deadline?
It will haunt your todo list. Sitting there (sometimes forever), never getting finished.
Without a deadline, there is no incentive to get a task to done.
Always Set a Deadline
A task without a deadline isn’t a “todo,” rather it’s a “want to do.”
Just like meetings stretch to fill the allotted time, tasks will expand to the time given to them.
“To ensure a task gets done, always set a deadline.”
Without a specific line drawn in the sand, there is no incentive to complete a task by a specific time.
Forever Tasks
Tasks without a deadline often become “forever tasks” that never get priority in your day.
Ensure your most important todos always have a specific “to be completed by” date.
Make your priorities real by always setting a hard deadline… and stick to it.
Question: Do you set deadlines for all of your important tasks? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
This is a great tip. This is something I do from time to time and works. I just need to do it more often with more of my tasks. Setting the deadline and then writing that down – scheduling that deadline with a slight buffer seems to work best for me.
Great tip, Craig! Similarly to your idea of setting a deadline for tasks, I’ve been also experimenting with setting a “Quitting time” for my work day. This helps me to get the most important things done and avoid distractions.