Work to meet your alivelines.

July 30, 2009

Why do they call it a deadline when you feel more alive when you are finished?

You might be tired, but you are alive.
And probably also relieved.
Or excited.
Or satisfied.
Or inspired.
Or grateful.

I mean, the threat of death seems downright silly since that’s the least likely thing to happen – even if you don’t meet the so-called deadline.

Then you might be disappointed.
Or frustrated.
Or anxious.
Or discouraged.
Or embarrassed.
But you are still alive.

What would happen if you gave your deadlines a different name?

What if they were your alivelines?
Or proudlines?
Or woohoolines?

More suggestions?

• • • • •

You can thank the very smart Kelly for this post. It was her question that got me thinking about this.

• • • • •

Related posts:

  1. Newsletter: Do You Work for the Boss from Hell?
  2. Work Unplugged
  3. Work According to the Seasons
  4. Business Manual – Day 2

Organized under Uncategorized.

12 responses


  1. 922 days ago,
    Hiro Boga said:

    Cairene, I love Alive-lines! Or joylines, delightlines, or even something that does away with lines altogether. Much more appealing than deadlines! :-)

    Hiro


  2. 922 days ago,
    Cairene said:

    @Hiro
    Yes! Fie on lines. Let’s make them delight-cycles… or something. :) C


  3. 922 days ago,
    Fred H Schlegel said:

    Renew-lines?
    Hoopla-lines?
    Brag-lines?

    I love this thinking – and live-line might just be the ticket.


  4. 922 days ago,
    Michelle Russell said:

    Hmmm . . . if they’re representing things you complete, how about “finish lines”? :o)


  5. 922 days ago,
    Cairene said:

    @Fred
    ha! hoopla-lines! love it!


  6. 922 days ago,
    Cairene said:

    @Michelle
    Makes me think of a race/competition, so doesn’t have quite the right vibe for me… but that doesn’t matter. The question is: Does “finish line” work for you? Because I could see how it might be exciting…


  7. 922 days ago,
    Liz said:

    How about ‘done-line’?


  8. 922 days ago,
    JoVE said:

    How about the-point-at-which-I-declare-this-finished

    Too long. But too often the problem is with deciding something is done and not tweaking it. With an externally imposed delivery date (there, “delivery date”) you will let it go anyway. But setting your own, means deciding you are finished with it, even if it is not done, in the “there is no more I could do to this”.

    delivery date
    estimated delivery date
    proposed delivery date

    ooh, birth date?

    riffs on ETA… estimated time of completion, etc.


  9. 922 days ago,
    Cairene said:

    @JoVE
    ah. now you are getting at the heart of Kelly’s original question…

    Fussed-enough-line?

    Ready-line?

    I like birth-date a lot too. :)


  10. 922 days ago,
    Cairene said:

    @Liz
    DONE!line
    I can get behind that one when I imagine shouting it with satisfaction. :)


  11. 919 days ago,
    Melissa Grossman said:

    This week I opted to rename Writer’s Block as Writer’s Nap. Then I actually took one. It was great!


  12. 918 days ago,
    Cairene said:

    @Melissa
    Good for you!
    Isn’t renaming stuff the best?