You have 10 clients. All of them want their work to be done now. All of them want results. You start asking yourself whether you are doing the right thing. You start questioning your worth. This is not a place you need to be mentally and even physically.

If you consider a 9 to 5 job, there are deadlines and workplace guidelines. As a consultant you’ll need to set this on your own – whether you have a team or not. Deadlines are important to help you achieve your goals and targets.

Setting deadlines is similar to setting your goals. You need to be very strategic. Through deadlines, you will experience both small and big wins. You will be accountable to yourself, to your clients. You will be able to have time to do the things you love outside your career. Your confidence will increase. There are so many benefits when you are able to set your deadlines whether personal or work related.

But how do you go about deadlines and setting them

Be SMART

The same way you set your goals is the same way you should set your deadlines. They should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound or follow a similar approach. Remember, you don’t want to have multiple deadlines all at the same time.

Engage

Engage everyone involved. Whether it’s with your clients or your team. Get feedback from them on how best to schedule the task or project. Ensure the deadline date is not too easy nor too challenging.

Rewards and penalties

This will keep you accountable and motivated. Whenever you work within the deadlines reward yourself with something that brings you joy like a meal at your favourite restaurant. Celebrate even the small wins. When you don’t achieve a deadline, give yourself penalties like not paying for Spotify for the next month.

In order to be good at setting deadlines, be consistent. Nothing worthwhile happens overnight.