Deadlines: questions and Band 8 answers

Yes, quite often actually. In my current job at an engineering consultancy, we have weekly milestones for client reports. It can get pretty hectic, especially towards the end of the month when multiple projects wrap up simultaneously, so I am constantly keeping an eye on the calendar.

To be honest, it depends on the workload. If it is manageable, a bit of pressure actually helps me focus and stops me procrastinating. But if everything piles up at once, I do get a bit stressed and find it tricky to switch off in the evenings.

I usually break big tasks down into bite-sized chunks. Every Monday morning, I write a digital to-do list and prioritise the most urgent jobs first. Ticking things off gives me a sense of accomplishment and ensures nothing gets left to the eleventh hour.

I definitely prefer getting things done well in advance. Leaving work until the last minute makes me anxious, and the quality usually suffers. When I had to submit my university dissertation, I finished the first draft two weeks early just to have breathing space for revisions.

Not really, if I am being completely frank. Back then, I used to put off homework assignments until Sunday evening, which often meant rushing through essays in a panic. I only really learned proper time management once I started university and the stakes were higher.