Started flagging a slipping task on day two instead of day five and my manager visibly relaxed

I used to go quiet when something ran long, hoping to claw it back before anyone noticed. It never worked and the conversation was always worse for the delay. Now the moment I'm past half my estimate with less than half of it done, I say so, with what I've tried and what I think is left. Not one person has been annoyed. They just can't help with a problem they only hear about on Friday afternoon.