June 2025: How do you deal with deadlines?

“I won’t touch the report without a deadline.”
“Alright,” I replied, “let’s set one then.”
This exchange took place when I invited the other sector leads in a project to collaborate so we could complete our deliverables more efficiently. Everyone thought my plan was solid – and I even got some praise as an inspirational leader. (This I soaked up like a desert wanderer stumbling across water – thanks everyone.)

But this month’s recap isn’t about the importance of giving your colleagues positive feedback (that might be a topic for another month). I wanted to talk about deadlines – because the conversation made me reflect on how differently we use them.

Sometimes, when discussing workload, people tell me: “Set a deadline so you get the stuff done.” I want to respect that. But I don’t work like that. Don’t get me wrong – I’m no stranger to putting in long hours when pressure is high. But I’ve developed a trick: I like to start early. Very early. Why? Because when the deadline is still far off, things feel more fun.

So as soon as I can, I work on those “fun” projects. And by the time the deadline is closing in and the fun goes out the window, I’m usually halfway – or three-quarters – done. It doesn’t always work perfectly. But when it does, it feels like I’ve outsmarted myself.

Looking through my camera roll from June, I see Swedish nature at its best. I’ve been travelling a lot – but only within Sweden, with a brief visit to Norway to hunt for a rare flower. I’ve driven back and forth to the office in Stockholm a few times. Most recently for IKEM – Innovations- och kemiindustrierna i Sverige Team Day, where I was invited to present the ChemSkills Project project – followed by a summer barbecue with all the staff in beautiful surroundings. I also travelled north for a classic midsummer celebration.

And now, as July is here, fresh deadlines are once again looming. The question is: have I done enough pre-work this time – or will I be in trouble? I’ll get back to that one but in the meantime how do you use deadlines?

This monthly recap is written with the assistance of ChatGPT and previously published on LinkedIn.

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Kristina Svensson

Vetenskapskommunikatör, föreläsare och författare som skriver om strövtåg och smultronställen i Sverige och Frankrike. Blir på bra humör av gott kaffe, kameran och färgglada nagellack.

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