I need deadlines or I would never get anything completed. If I don’t have a deadline, the task moves to the end of my priority list. If I don’t have a push that the task must be completed, other things get in the way.

Some people say, “I can’t operate on deadlines”. Well, I probably would prefer to run my life without deadlines, but I can’t function without them.  My days turn into unproductive hours thinking about what I should do first.

When I have a list of things to do and an order of priority, everything gets done. The busier I am the more productive and happier I am.  I am happy because when the tasks are complete then I have guilt-free time to spend on things that are important to me. 

I’m not happy when I don’t have deadlines, priorities, and guidelines set for myself.  Because when I don’t, I feel everything slipping away.

My deadlines and priorities, for the most part, are very adaptive. I can change or move priorities because I know at every moment what I have to accomplish that day.  Because I know what needs to be completed, I am able to fit spontaneous fun into the schedule.  When I don’t have things prioritized and deadlines set, I feel like I have no time for fun.

I know that operating with deadlines and priorities is not something that comes naturally to most people.  I spend a good amount of time training my children to be aware of deadlines and prioritizing. 

When my kids make me aware of the projects that they need to complete, we set aside blocks of time each day to make the deadlines more manageable.  It is hard to get motivated when one knows that the project is not due for a few days, weeks, or months.  However, we push through working hard at the beginning, knowing that other projects or distractions could arise.    

This past week, one of my children had a major project due.  It was a long weekend, so she had lots of opportunities to get a head start on the project and also had the opportunity to procrastinate.  Although I don’t do their work for them, I am my children’s cheerleader and advisor when it comes to work ethic and time management. 

I make suggestions as far as time and give my children a push to stay on track.  However, they make their own time decisions regarding homework and they pay the consequences. 

In the case of the most recent project, my daughter did not feel like working on her project as we scheduled.  She pushed through because she knew that she would have more homework and sports throughout the school week.  Her work ethic was rewarded because she was able to say yes to various activities with her friends because she felt good about her progress regarding the project. 

It is important to feel good about making deadlines.  I am not suggesting that everyone has to have a written list of priorities.  Some people can’t function with a written list.  However, the productive people that I know who don’t operate with a written list are able to articulate their list verbally at any given moment.   

When deadlines get overwhelming, I pray for clarity on what needs to be accomplished first.  I give God my worries and trust that one by one the deadlines will be met.  Thank you, God. 

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