When do you need this by?

We assume tasks are urgent when they arrive without a deadline.

Rarely is this true. Next time, avoid assumptions and discover the facts.

Clarifying deadlines also reveals their true nature. Sometimes, you get a crisp answer: “I need this before my meeting on Wednesday.”

More often, you get a vague answer: “Uh, how about Friday?”

This is your moment to renegotiate.