Estimates just don't work. They never have. It is a lie that we tell for fake comfort. It's not our fault. The world has conditioned us to believe that estimates have some kind of value. When asked to estimate, I usually reply with a confidence factor.

It doesn't have to be a number either.
Examples:
- I am fairly confident that I will finish this task by tomorrow.
- There is very little chance that we can finish this project by that date.
- I have too little information at this time to tell you when it will be completed.

I do not feel unease when saying this. An exact number or a range sounds better, yet trust erodes quickly with repeated miscalculations.

I prefer to be honest. Once they get to know me, clients and colleagues actually find this a lot more reassuring.