Returning to the Grind
I’m back in the office today, and determinedly taking a break over lunch rather than work straight though. It’s a terrible habit – working straight through – but something that has been borne out of necessity over the last two or three years. One project after another has landed on my desk – usually with unrealistic timescales and expectations. It doesn’t help that I repeatedly bust my arse to give people what they want, rather than draw a line.
I will admit to stressing out every so slightly while walking to work this morning – wondering what might be waiting in my email in-box. In the end there were only 41 emails – and half of them were marketing rubbish. I’m not on many mailing lists – I tend to avoid them, and unsubscribe where I can.
After the inevitable “how are you” conversations with co-workers, I settled down and started working through things – responding to emails, filling in timesheets, wandering down with a co-worker for a conference call with a client – all the usual things. It’s funny – when somebody asks “what do you do for a living?”, and you respond with “I’m a software developer”, I bet they never expect that the majority of your work is actually talking to people, sending emails, sitting in on meetings, and so on. Yes, sometimes you can go for weeks working on source code, but invariably it’s all the usual things you would associate with an office job.
I forgot to throw the bullet journal in my bag this morning, so have an old notebook on my desk – now filled with scribbled notes about things that have happened so far today, and things to do tomorrow.
Somehow it’s already heading towards mid-afternoon. How does that even happen ?