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PaperclipPerfector  6mo ago (text post)   2165 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for November 3, 2023

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Yesterday, I had scheduled something with a family member at 6pm, and near close of business the client returned with over a dozen transactions they wanted me to process (while this is something that happens on Thursdays the client usually provides the relevant info earlier in the day), and I was forced to complete the work hastily and hand it over to a reviewer - who unsurprisingly found errors.

This is certainly where I would start, with the drawing of appropriate boundaries. While granting that it's not always an option for the obvious reasons, my own reaction to such a development would be, "wow, that sucks, I'll take a pass in the morning". If the response was that it needs to happen today, my reply is simply that I already have plans and that the client needs to provide a standard 24-hour turnaround time, that I am not infinitely flexible in turning my personal life and time management over to accommodate their slipshod decision-making and time management. By setting appropriate boundaries, I can plan my own life better and be dedicated to doing the things I actually care about, which are decidedly not the things I've done to pay the bills.

In conjunction with that, scheduling consistent activities that appear as calendar blocks that are inviolable is helpful and ensures that you'll do the things you care about. For me, that's a running club. Have something you need me to stay for on Tuesday? Nope, can't, I have trackwork with the boys at 5, so I'll see you tomorrow. This both defines the work boundary and locks me into doing a nonwork activity that I care about.

Also worth a mention is that failing to do this will result in the problem getting worse. If you're the guy that's willing to pick up the slack when some asshole asks for something at 8PM, well, you're the guy that's going to get told to do it.

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