Those who master "deadlines" master the quality of their work #231

■ The quality of work is determined by "how you face deadlines"

"It's fine if it's done by next week."
Have you ever noticed that you haven't started work you were told that about until the night before?

There is a framework for organizing thoughts called "5W1H."
Among them, the one that greatly influences the result is—
"When."

This is because "when" is not just a date and time, but a "promise" itself.
No matter how wonderful the value may be,
if you miss the deadline, it becomes worthless.

People who can meet deadlines work by calculating backward from the deadline.
People who cannot meet them think in order from the present.
Just this difference changes the results significantly.

■ Why does procrastination happen?

People who habitually miss deadlines have something in common.

That is—
not being able to set priorities.

Work to be done is piling up.
However, they don't know what to start with.

As a result, they process the work in front of them in an ad-hoc manner.
And the truly important work is put off.

"I was too busy to do it."
That phrase eventually becomes a matter of course.

In some cases—
they even start to think, "It's the fault of the person who assigned such work."

■ Work is "perishable"

I often describe work as "perishable."

Every job has an "expiration date."
Once that passes, the value drops, and eventually it rots.

Nevertheless, many people
think, "I still have time," and don't start.

But in reality—
as time passes, motivation and memory deteriorate.

According to psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus,
• After 20 minutes: 42% forgotten
• After 1 hour: 56% forgotten
• After 1 day: 74% forgotten

In other words, "doing it later" is
the same as working with the "premise of lowering quality."

■ Treat the deadline as "half"

I think the problem lies in the mindset of thinking there is leeway until the deadline.

That is where "double-speed management" is effective.
What you do is simple.
Set the deadline to half in your own mind.
Just this will change your thinking.

For example, suppose you have 8 days until the deadline.
In that case, your deadline becomes the 4th day.
If you don't make it by the 4th day, set the deadline for the remaining 4 days to half, which is 6 days.
If you still don't make it, it becomes the 7th day, which is half.
Even if you still don't make it, it becomes the morning of the 8th day, which is half.
By continuing this, theoretically, you will absolutely achieve it.

From "there is still time" to "there is no more time."
The speed of action will increase at once.

■ Visualize priorities

What is even more effective is
the "Time Management Matrix" from The 7 Habits.

• Quadrant 1: Urgent and Important
• Quadrant 2: Not Urgent but Important
• Quadrant 3: Urgent but Not Important
• Quadrant 4: Neither Urgent nor Important

The first thing to cut is Quadrant 4.
Next, streamline Quadrant 3.

And what is important is—Quadrant 2.

Work that is not urgent but has a major impact on the future.
Whether or not you can start on this will make a difference in your results.
Some people misunderstand that starting something means completing it.
Even if you cannot complete it, just starting it allows you to estimate the value and delivery date of things.
I think it is much more valuable than leaving it alone without doing anything.

■ A trigger to change your consciousness

People who are good at their jobs do not have special talents.

Just one thing—
I think they just clarify "when to do it."
And that is also
deciding "what to spend time on."

I once had a sales staff member who habitually could not meet deadlines.
They were active and excellent, but their sales were unstable.
I saw that one of the causes was their inability to meet deadlines.

When there was a project, they would actively get involved, saying "I'll do it."
However, even though they accepted it, they wouldn't start on it easily.
Before I knew it, the work would pile up.

However, after adopting the idea that "work is perishable," their actions changed.

If you are currently struggling with a habit of procrastination,
instead of blindly imposing numerical deadlines,
I think you should try adopting a practical method that replaces your consciousness.
Once you can meet deadlines, the trust from those around you will increase, and that alone will surely change the quality of your work.