stuff I learned from work

Never over-commit. Leave a buffer for yourself. Say 80% if you can do 100%. That way, you get extra credit for doing 100%.

Document everything. On important issues, get them in writing. You never know when the other party will change his mind and eat their words. Better yet, start recording all the tel-conferences.

Stay detached and never get personal. It's just a project, not your whole career, nor your whole life. Nobody is going to die even if they say "a few heads are going to roll"