How to Use Deadlines to Boost Writing Productivity (but it applies to everything, really)
Make this a habit, and watch how you’re transforming into the more productive writer
Do you ever find yourself procrastinating when it comes to writing? Perhaps you struggle to stay focused or simply lack motivation. If so, you're not alone! However, from my 20+ years of writing experience, there is one strategy that can help you get more done in less time: the deadline.
Parkinson’s Law: Have you ever heard of this law (it’s not a real law, but it has been proven true)? It states something like this:
Every task expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.
And it will hit you hard every time if you don’t push yourself and plan your tasks with the exact deadlines in mind.
Setting deadlines and practising disciplined timeboxing will break you free of Parkinson’s Law by defining a specific time for a task and sticking to it.
Deadlines are powerful tools that can help you prioritize tasks, set goals, and stay accountable. By setting specific deadlines for your writing projects, you can avoid the trap of endless revisions and perfecting your work to the point of paralysis. Instead, you can focus on producing your best work within a set timeframe.
Setting deadlines is an essential step to keep you accountable and kill procrastination.
✔ It doesn’t matter who sets the deadline, you or someone else.
✔ But, it is always better to be your own inner boss and set your own rules.
What makes deadlines so effective?
Psychology research has shown that deadlines are an essential tool for increasing productivity and motivation. Here are a few reasons why:
Deadlines create a sense of urgency: When we have a deadline, we feel a sense of urgency to complete the task by a specific time. This can help us avoid procrastination and stay focused on the task at hand. But, if we set up too long deadlines, it can actually make us procrastinate even more!
Deadlines help us prioritise: When we have multiple tasks to complete, deadlines can help us prioritise which tasks are most important and need to be completed first. This can prevent us from getting overwhelmed and allow us to focus our energy.
Deadlines help us set goals: Setting a deadline for a task helps us establish a clear goal and a sense of purpose. This can motivate us to work harder and more efficiently to meet that goal.
Deadlines create accountability: When we have a deadline, we are accountable to ourselves or to others for completing the task on time. This can create a sense of responsibility and encourage us to follow through on our commitments.
How to use deadlines to boost your productivity?
"Deadlines create a sense of urgency, and urgency creates action." - Brian Tracy
To get started with using deadlines to boost your writing productivity, consider these things ( they proved good for me, but you might need to find another way around it):
Set realistic deadlines.
Make sure your deadlines are achievable, and give yourself enough time to complete your work. Setting unrealistic deadlines can lead to stress and burnout. Don’t ask me how I know it :). This is still my biggest failure sometimes, and I still learn to give myself realistic timeframes.
Break down larger projects.
If you have a larger project, such as creating a lead magnet or launching a new product, it can be helpful to break it down into smaller tasks with individual deadlines. This can help you stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Use a timer.
Set a timer for a specific period, such as 25 minutes, and focus solely on your writing during that time. This technique, known as the Pomodoro method, can help you stay focused and avoid distractions. I wrote about Pomodoro here, if you want to read more.
Set deadlines for content creation.
To ensure that your newsletter goes out on schedule, it's essential to set deadlines for content creation. This includes not only writing the newsletter itself but also creating any graphics or visuals that you plan to include. By setting deadlines for each step of the process, you can ensure that you have enough time to create a high-quality newsletter that provides value to your subscribers.
Use deadlines to prioritise your tasks.
If you're juggling multiple marketing projects at once, it can be helpful to use deadlines to prioritise your tasks. For example, you might set a deadline to complete the newsletter first, followed by other tasks like social media posts or blog content.
Use reminders to stay on track.
To ensure that you don't miss a deadline, use calendar reminders, CRM, or project management tools to keep yourself on track. I personally use Trello for all my work reminders as it has a calendar view and deadlines set up. Set reminders for critical deadlines, and make sure that you allow enough time to complete each task before the deadline arrives.
FIVE simple steps to finish more articles
✔ Divide your writing tasks into multiple smaller tasks
✔ Write them down
✔ Start writing
✔ Improve
✔ Finish.
Simple as that.
Try it for a month.
By implementing these strategies, you can make deadlines work for you and increase your writing productivity. But don't just take my word for it – try it out for yourself and see the results!
If you found these tips helpful, please consider sharing this email with your friends and colleagues who could benefit from these productivity strategies. And as always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions or feedback.
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Quote that matters
"Deadlines are the ultimate inspiration. They create a sense of urgency and demand action." - Steve McClatchy
Do you know I’m at the beginning of my new side-hustle journey? I’ll document the entire process so every future marketing solopreneur can learn from my mistakes and winnings.
If you want to share your feedback on my writing or this newsletter, please reach me at angelina.radulovic@gmail.com
Speak to you soon,
Angelina, Marketing Fairy