Meeting Deadlines: 3 Lessons of Effective Lying

Have you ever tried to trick yourself for one or another reason? Sometimes self-delusion can be of service. For example, when I was a student and had to wake up at 5:30 a.m. daily, I used to set my alarm 15 minutes forward because of my habit to rest in bed for another 10 minutes after the alarm goes off. Before I thought of this trick with time I often was late for my classes, but it never happened to me after I embodied the idea with the time shift.

So, if you have troubles delivering your orders on time, you might require a little bit of self-deception as well. I would advise you several tips.

Tip #1. Make an agreement (works with customers only):

Be honest. Tell your customer that it would be easier for you if he always set the deadline a couple of hours (or days) earlier than it should have been set. This way you can deliver every single order on time. The trick is that the client shouldn’t tell you what the true deadline is – self-deception should look utterly real, otherwise it won’t work at all.

Side effects: Customers might get nervous at the reference of such agreement. I mean, it does sound weird and complicated, so, perhaps, you should try this tip only with the clients, who have worked with you for a while and know your strong points.

Tip #2. Switch on Child Control mode

Let’s imagine that you have no trustworthy clients, or that you simply work at a custom writing service. Well, in this case you should limit yourself. Failing to meet the deadline is a childish doing – that’s why it would be reasonable for you to use… Child Control on yourself! Shut down the Internet in advance (for several hours). This way you will have to finish the work earlier in order not to miss the deadline.

Side effects: You may get soft on yourself and give yourself additional time after all. If you think that it is possible, ask your relatives/cohabitants to shut down the Internet for you.

Tip #3. Take hot orders only

If all this time management stuff is too hard for you to cope with, start taking “hot” orders. You won’t have any chance to put away the writing process, because, well, you will be doing your job at the last moment anyways. The only way to complete such order is to work on it right away. Bear in mind, though, - your capabilities are not limitless. Do not take large orders or the ones, which require a remarkable research.

Side effects: Firstly, “hot” orders aren’t always available. Secondly, you might overestimate yourself and miss the deadline, so be careful.