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Set More Realistic Targets to Hit Your Next Deadline
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Tip
Think about your last project. Did you underestimate how long it would take? Many of us fall into this trap. Our perceptions of our available time, our abilities, and any roadblocks we may hit are greatly skewed. This is a phenomenon called the planning fallacy, and it happens to professionals at all levels and in every occupation. Here’s how to set more realistic targets for yourself.
Be objective, not subjective. Ask yourself: How much time and effort have similar tasks required in the past? Or ask a colleague to help with your estimate to remove your own biases.Commit early and publicly. Tell someone when you’ll get the task done and how long it will take. This external commitment pressure will prevent you from leaving all of your work to the last minute.Schedule buffer time. There will always be things that come up and you may simply need more time. To ensure a more realistic deadline, take your original estimate and increase it by 25%.Assume the worst. Imagine what will go wrong before it actually does. Identifying any potential (if unlikely) issues will help you come up with a suitable backup plan.
Translations
🇨🇳 为下一个期限设定更现实的目标
想想你的上一个项目。 你是否低估了所需的时间吗？ 我们许多人都掉进了这个陷阱。 我们对可用时间、能力和可能遇到的任何障碍的感知都是非常不平衡的。 这是一种叫做计划谬误的现象，它发生在所有层次和职业的专业人员身上。 下面是如何为自己设定更现实的目标。
- 要客观，不要主观。 问问你自己：过去需要多少时间和精力来完成类似的任务？ 或者请你的同事帮助你消除你自己的偏见。
- 及早公开承诺。 告诉别人你什么时候完成这项任务，需要多长时间。 这种外部的承诺压力会阻止你把所有的工作留到最后一分钟。
- 安排缓冲时间。 总会有事情发生，你可能只是需要更多的时间。 为了确保一个更现实的最后期限，拿出你最初的估计，增加 25%。
- 假设最坏。 想象一下在它真正发生之前会发生什么。 识别任何潜在的（如果不可能的）问题将帮助你拿出一个合适的备份计划。
