Or shall I do something else entirely?

I’m in the market for some sort of device that will look at my to-do list, realise (as I do) that four of those items are all super-urgent and PICK ONE!!!

What all too often happens is you can’t decide and do something else – maybe even something not on the list, maybe something not even urgent – ‘coz it’s easier than making a decision…

It’s not quite procrastination.

Honest.

But when competing priorities arise and YOU CAN’T THINK OF A DIFFERENTIATOR as regards urgency, well that’s your lot.

You’re stuffed.

I have:

1. A client deadline – sign off at the board level and an AGM presentation fixed in stone – and a set of figures that don’t make sense. Actually that’s not strictly correct, they do make sense but the client’s figures and my figures have “diverged” slightly and a change in accounting software means we need to establish why they differ and which of the differences are “correct”. So far my feeling is that the final version will be different from the two existing versions – but at least I’ll be able to explain why… This highlights the inherent complications of use of spreadsheets in management information as a short cut or two have led to the spreadsheet and the underlying records differing.
2. Preparing a proposal for what could be an absolutely fascinating client relationship. I really want to get involved with this business!
3. My “serious” blog. I’ve quit procrastinating and am close to preparing the pivot piece around which all the rest of the posts for nearly a year to come will revolve. Not only that but I’VE TOLD OTHER PEOPLE I’M DOING SO… It’s also a linchpin in my marketing strategy for the next five years and I’ve been putting it off (for quite legitimate reasons) for far too long.
4. Another client situation with a complicated set of figures. The client contact has been on holiday and I’ve been waiting on a third party for some information so that one was easy to leave ticking over but I received an email from the contact. I’m sure he wasn’t supposed to be back until next week…

Oh, and I’ve got a day off tomorrow (and, before you ask, the day off is sacrosanct – four early starts so far this week and the tank is on empty) so whatever doesn’t get done drifts into next week and an unforeseen family funeral – from diagnosis to demise in just a couple of months – which will take a day out of next week as it’s 70-80 miles away means next week is shortened as well.

Sigh. Best laid plans and all that.

Wouldn’t it be super if each of the tasks took a uniform two hours – you could turn the mobile phone off and do the lot in a day or so – but 1 has swallowed a couple of days (or more!) so far and three different approaches before finding one method that has started to spit out answers, I really loathe preparing proposals and I really need to get a template I’m happy with and that depends on doing a few more after which I’ll be able to ask my PA to do the bulk of the work (probably the tedious bit I dislike doing) but the deadline is looming so 2 is causing all sorts of issues and 4 depends on me talking to a helpline before I talk to my contact but the bl00dy helpline is only available 10.00-12.00 and 13.00-15.00 so by the time you remember it’s damned well shut for yet another day!

Deep inhaling of breath.

And out.

That’s better.

So 3 got done first and strategically is the best decision and 1 and 2 are open documents on the laptop – chip away little by little on them both. No idea what I’m doing about 4. Holding email I suspect. Not the best of answers but probably the most pragmatic. Except the third party response I was waiting for has now arrived and I need to check it as the preparer is on holiday next week.

Anyone know where I can get hold of 36 hour days?