Good advice from a Biz Mama: work ahead of deadlines

Earlier this year, I chatted with fellow biz mama Alisa Bonsignore of Clarifying Complex Ideas who had this great advice for busy moms:

..learn to work as far ahead of deadlines as possible, not just because it gives [you] an extra opportunity to read through things with clear eyes, but because you just never know when a sick kid is going to wreak havoc with your deadline.

This advice rang true for me this winter, when my toddler got sick and then I proceeded to catch a nasty cold that kept me out of the office for almost a week (somehow Hubby was spared of this germ fest). Of course, during this time, I had a large proposal due and several other time-sensitive projects. I was grateful for: 1) my laptop at home with remote access to my office, and 2) working ahead of my deadlines. Because I like to work ahead of schedule to give myself time to mull things over, I had already started on projects with upcoming due dates. So the day I had to miss work because of a pediatrician appointment—and subsequent pharmacy run—was not as stressful as it could have been. So, I’m glad I took Alisa’s advice and prepared in advance.

How do you manage to stay on top of your workload—especially when you have sick kids or an unpredictable schedule?