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Figuring Things Out

Deadlines

Published 26 days ago • 1 min read

Deadlines

Dear Reader,

I am writing this issue with only 25 minutes scheduled for it.

Before this scheduled time, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to write about. But when I have a scheduled time block in my calendar to do a specific task, and I am committed to get it done within the specified time, it becomes more possible.

I usually think coming up with a good idea to write about for this newsletter, to write it, create a cover image, would take at least a couple of hours. But tighter deadlines make it doable in far less time and with a higher quality. Because on a tighter deadline, I cut out everything that is not absolutely necessary.

This is also why when we have multiple jobs, or school + job, we are more efficient; we get done more than we normally would if we had just one.

Parkinson’s law, remember?

I wrote about it 3 years ago, and it still holds true. Task expands to fill the time allotted to it. That’s why we are able to start and finish a project/essay/assignment, which feels like might require a week, within a few hours when the deadline is tonight.

We can use this for other parts of our lives too. The deadlines don’t have to be just external, that someone else sets; we can create deadlines for ourselves.

Give yourself constant reminders about the deadlines that are coming up, or the goals that you’re pursuing.

Perhaps use sticky notes or write about your goals in your notes app, take a screenshot, and set that as your wallpaper.

I’ll see you next week.

Warmly,
Suraj

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Figuring Things Out

By Suraj Chaudhary

One lesson, thought, or resource to living a fuller life every week.

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