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Delivering under tight deadlines is pretty much what you’re in for, if you’re a web designer. Knowing how to handle it, is what will make you a designer of the web. As many times as I’ve wanted to pull my hair out with unrealistic deadlines and “last minutes”, I also get my adrenaline fix out of it (not that I care to share this with clients ~ these are invisible pixels). I’m guessing, if you’re a web designer, you’re with me on this (don’t worry, you don’t have to admit it out loud).

Well, being as much a junkie as the next developer, I’m the first to to admit there is a limit. So here are some simple tips for how to manage your time so that the next time you get that “I needed it yesterday” call, you can calmly deliver in 3 days (seriously, nothing takes less than 3 days, whatever the task). When all is said and done, your 1 hour rush project is going to occupy you to some degree, over the next 3 days. Accept this. Plan for it. It will make your life less stressful.

That being said, a 3 day rush is almost unheard of. You’re probably looking at something that will take 2 or 3 weeks at least. So what can you do to help reduce the time you need to spend and squeeze this extra project into your schedule (and produce something that doesn’t suck)?

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So how does one make time for everything one needs to do? Seriously, the past 2 weeks have put me in a spin. Am I still alive?

That muck aside, I’ve got some exciting news I wanted to share, even at the expense of my right hand. For those of you following the development of Sidereel, you may have noticed our recent beginnings of integrating the skin for the site.

Well, the exciting thing is there is much more to come. First and foremost, we are starting the process of integrating the NEW and Improved WatchBox. No more crazy-ass lists!

Launching an early Beta for a new application has both advantages and disadvantages. The first being, getting your name out there. The second being, discouraging return users with a very primitive product. We chose to launch with an Early Beta, having faith in our users, but the challenges are still the same. It’s been a learning process indeed, but it’s also put us in a position where things are only better. 1,000,000 and counting.

The new, improved Watchbox will be comprised of a much “prettier” layout, designed by none other than Lauren “I play with my food, I play with my code” Scime and a pretty kick-ass Ajax interface. Stay tuned fellow Reelers. Things are about to get all Chuck Norris around here.