Deadlines and Personal Projects
I have always had a tenuous relationship with deadlines. In certain contexts they are my greatest motivator, creating a sort of Mission Impossible-like urgency that has me firing on all cylinders. In other contexts, they are like a nag. Something that keeps pestering you, but never really gets you to accomplish the tasks. And when you finally do finish the tasks, it’s more out of exasperation than actual desire...and it shows.
This becomes even more of a struggle when the project is a favor for a friend or family member. They don’t want to bug you, but at the same time, they could really use your expertise.
1) Everyone is a client and everything has a deadline. As a creative, I get projects from many friends and family members that “don't have deadlines”. Or the deadline is “flexible”. Eff that. If it is EVER going to get done, it needs a set of concrete deadlines. And just because they are a friend or a family member shouldn’t make them less important. So, when you kickoff a project, treat them like the client they are and ask more questions. Do you have a conference or networking event that you’ll need these business cards for? Is this family photo going to be a birthday gift? A Christmas gift? What’s the first thing this logo is going to show up on? Your website? Your letterheads? An ad?
2) Your honesty is key. Be honest about your personal bandwidth. If you legitimately won’t be able to get to this project until next November, then tell them. They’ll appreciate your forthrightness and you both won’t have a years worth of underlying tension. If you are delaying the project, even if it’s a personal favor, you’re negating the “favor” aspect of this.
If they are cool with it not getting done until next November, then by God, set that as your timeframe. Set a calendar appointment to chat again in October, and re-kick this off then.
But, if they can’t wait until you’re actually available, then offer advice on where to go, who else to ask, or what company might offer a similar service. Even if the result isn’t as great as it could have been if you had done it, at least it got done. Also, they’ll be more likely in the future to respect your boundaries.
3) Respect Your Own Boundaries. This is true in all aspects of life, but if you don’t respect your boundaries for time, expectations, or space...no one else will respect them either. If a project is out of the scope of your skill set, and you have little time/desire to make it part of your skill set, then nut-up and turn it down. Or at least offer some advice on who they might talk to next.
4) Always have an actionable next step. Every conversation you have with your “client” should end with a sort of What’s Next wrap-up. What are the deliverables and when are they due? You both should know that information so the other can follow up if things don’t get delivered by the expected time. You’re both responsible to keep this on track, so hold your client accountable to the things they need to provide.
