To Many things so little time!!! 15

[Nunzio]

I am a webdesigner for a Medical School. and it is just starting to seem like everytime I turn around I have another job I have to get done in a day or something of that sorts. I was wondering if anyone that is out there can tell me how to calm down and deal with it rationally instead of going insane.

Nunzio

 

[ElijahBaley]

I have turned to drink!

Graham

 

[Voyager1]

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. Learn to say "No".

Or .... drink X-). - Bill

"You can get anything you want out of life, if you'll just help enough other people get what they want" - Zig Ziglar

 

[Nunzio]

Thanks for the advice,
The drinking one is pretty much shot because I am only 19. but I will see what I can do about that prioritizeing thing.
Thanks
Nunzio

 

[pivan]

Hi Nunzio

Bill and Graham are absolutely right.
Unfortunatly my religion prevents me from drink, smoke, sex, drugs etc. So ...I empathize with you.

The only minor twist that I might have is that you might want to leave the prioritizing up to your manager/boss. You might want to try estimating times, and then letting your boss tell you in what order he wants you to do them. Try telling your boss all the things that are on your work 'q' and asking him for the order in which to do them. Its called managing your boss. A great skill to learn. There are far to many managers out their who don't manage. Support your boss, but don't be responsible for doing both your job and his.

Plan your day, stick to your plan, this is a good area to learn to say "No". Once you start planning your time, you will be better able to keep a cool head when eveyone around you is in a panic. You will then be a much treasured resource.

Let me know how this turns out.
G'Luck,
Ivan

PS: "like everytime I turn around I have another job I have to get done in a day" This is pretty normal in a lot of organizations. Chill out and relax...enjoy the moment. In all honesty, meditation works for me. In not now, when?
If not here, where?
If not us, who?

Just do it!!

 

[Voyager1]

Ivan is right, but let me add another $.02 worth - communicate. If "the powers that be" are not aware of how full your plate is when they bring you that new project then they will set unrealistic deadlines.

In one of the StarTrek movies, Kirk asked Scotty "how long" to fix something, and Scotty said "Five weeks, but you don't have 5 weeks so I'll do it in 2".

Give your bosses the 5 week estimate. When you're done in 3 you'll be a hero... - Bill

"You can get anything you want out of life, if you'll just help enough other people get what they want" - Zig Ziglar

 

[KeyTech]

I used to worry and get stressed out about things in work
and I cant get this done in time and I cant get that done
in time and sometimes I used to feel sick about the though
of going into work some days coz I new what was ahead of me.
But I got over it all now, instead of looking at these things
as a problem or hassel, look at it as a challenge, if life
had no challenges it would be boring.
And then think when it is all over after 8 or so hours,
you'll be back at home or wherever relaxing or having fun
with your mates.

Run your life, dont let it run you.

Jay~

"I'll moider da bum."
- Heavyweight boxer Tony Galento, when asked what he thought of William Shakespeare.

~KeyTech

 

[Nunzio]

Thanks everyone,
I managed to get everything calmed down. all it took was a little over time and a lot of thinking. I greatly apreciate your help and I hope that the days are going smoothly for you as well.

Nunzio

 

[MasterRacker]

It's easy to get caught up in things and get wound up in "artificial emergencies", work unnecessarily long hours, etc. There's nothing wrong with working hard, in fact, I recommend it. Just don't work "too" hard. At the end of the day (and especially the end of the week) it's just a job.

When you leave the building, leave the job as well. Make sure you find some leisure activities you really like. What you do with your personal life is what's really important and what defines you. The other part is just a job. Jeff

I haven't lost my mind - I know it's backed up on tape somewhere ....

 

[iza]

yes, as everyone here says, take it easy, make sure your job is "only" a job, and learn to say no ... at least, learn to say "later - right now i've got higher priorities"
and another important thing is, to speak, communicate, let other people know you already have a lot to do, that you're not claiming for longer deadlines because you're lazy, and, show the amount of work done - if "they" are aware of how much work you have to do, "they"'ll tend to ask less (or for later ...)
but, as pivan says, you'd better get used to this !!! i sometimes had been given work that was due ... the day before ! (but i don't know how to meditate !!)

 

[Nunzio]

Let me ask you guys another question does this kind of thing happen around the same time of month for you to? If you code it I will crash it.

 

[MasterRacker]

Yes. In addition to my daily duties, I am currently involved with 3 projects. A was scheduled to finish March 1. B was to start March 5 and finish May 11. C was to start May 15 and finish June 15. Notice, they were originally scheduled to run sequentially. External delays have caused all 3 to overlap with priority randomly shifting from one project to another. I am working on all 3 as best as I can and they get done when they get done.

Good Project Management doesn't only involve scheduling skills, it also involves improvisation and juggling skills. You need to be able to change directions in a heartbeat, multitask, and not kill yourself in the process. Jeff

I haven't lost my mind - I know it's backed up on tape somewhere ....

 

[Guest_imported]

This should help you identify where the problems exist in your web site.

http://www.compuware.com/products/qacenter/webcheck/

 

[dkediger]

As MasterRacker states - be sure to leave work at work:

I leave all my problems at work - I have a complete other set at home!

 

[Nunzio]

ok here is a question how long is to long at work. currently I spend 18 hours or so a day here is that to long or is it not enough?

Nunzio 10101010101010101010101010100001
If you code it I will crash it.
10101000100101001111000100100010

 

[carp]

Yes, that's a long day. But if you can hang on for another two years, at least drinking will be an option.

 

[MasterRacker]

Mosstof the studies I'veheard of calim that productivity drops off drastically after 50-55 hours/week. 18 hours days are way too long. Go home and get some sleep.
Jeff

I haven't lost my mind - I know it's backed up on tape somewhere ....

 

[dkediger]

It is rare for me to have more than a 50 hour week - right at 45 is the norm.

The size of your organization as well as the areas of your life you wish to focus on come into play.

I work for a smaller company - 100 desktops, 20 mobiles - and am pretty much a one man show. We do utilize part time help from a local technical college under my direct supervision. I have no leash or cell phone and home is a 30 minute drive. This really cuts down on those "crutch" calls that can kill your time.

The trade offs are a lower pay rate - but that is nothing compared to family/personal time and having a role as more of technology adviser/advocate at work than just stomping on fires all the time.

 

[SheRa]

18 hours a day at work??? Geez. What on earth are you working that long for? I'm sorry, but life is not to be spent in front of a terminal screen. Aside from the possible health effects of lack of sleep, as 'they' recommend eight hours a day... When do you plan to fit in the time to walk by a pond and feed the ducks? To visit your parents and siblings? If it's in your head at all, to have a family and be there for your children? With those kinds of hours, your time off won't even really be time off. You're liable to end up sleeping all weekend to 'catch up', although I can attest to the fact that 'catching up' never works as well as you think it will.

But really, I would suggest you look again at why you are working so many hours. Is it the money? What good is money when you have no time to use it? Is it some sense of 'the world will explode if I don't get this done by three'? I suggest you have a look at your priorities, and then I hope I'll see you at the pond, feeding the ducks.

SheRa.
M&M's are better than money because you can eat them.

 

[Nunzio]

SheRa,
I don't really spend much time out. For one I live with my brother and I don't like the sun it hurts my eyes but it's more along the bases that if I don't get this done my 3 my grant wont go through and I wont get payed for the next three months. Not only that I am only 20 so the children thing is not really me.
Nunzio 10101010101010101010101010100001
If you code it I will crash it.
10101000100101001111000100100010