Value of Deadlines

Most people have a love/hate relationship with deadlines. They want others to live by deadlines (you said my car would be done in two hours, but now it’s been two and a half days), but they want to have open-ended deadlines for themselves (I’ll get it done when I get it done . . . ). Listed below are a few reasons why you should use deadlines.

Helps you prioritize
Helps you focus on the next thing instead of everything
Helps you plan
Helps you know what you should say no to
Allows others to plan based on your deadlines
Shows you and others progress
Helps you know when you are falling behind so you can hurry up

Abuses of Deadlines

Deadlines used the wrong way can be very dangerous weapons that have ability to inflict near fatal wounds . . . literally. One should be very careful in the use of a loaded deadline. The following list shows some of the ways that deadlines are abused.

All activity ceases after the deadline is met—The 5:00 p.m. deadline is probably the most abused in this area. Finish the job!
The deadline becomes our god—We use deadlines as an excuse to spend time on a project that should be spent with God. Suddenly, our entire life revolves around the deadline.
Helps us procrastinate— Because the deadline is not for another three weeks, we will put it off another few days. There is no problem with finishing a deadline before the last minute.
Creates crisis—A deadline can be set in such a way that every minute of every day feels as if it were the last minute.
Avoids teaching the why and wherefore of what we are doing.
Too many deadlines make them irrelevant.
An impossible deadline allows a person to give up now—Deadlines must be reachable.
Deadlines can be used to hit and run—We use the deadline to run over people and then move on to the next deadline.