The Little Old Lady and the Businessman

I can't remember where I read this but I read it somewhere, so I can't claim originality.

I have looked back on today, and while I am pleased that I have achieved something, it is a pittance of stuff. So, with due respect and apologies to the little old ladies that are dynamos and run rings around me, here is the point.

If a businessman wants to send a postcard, it takes him a few minutes. He slots getting the postcard in with other tasks and chooses a card quite quickly, takes a few moments to write it and then posts it.

The little old lady will take all day. First of all she has to buy the postcard. It can take some time choosing the right card, and there is always the potential for a cup of gossip, and what sort of card it should be, and perhaps they have a better selection in a different shop, with a different cup of gossip. Then she has to find the stamp. Should she buy one, while she is out, or does she have one in the drawer. No, she is pretty certain she used the last one on a card to her sister, but if she buys another stamp and she already had one then that is a waste. Then there is the 'Finding Of The Address' and has she written it clearly enough? And what should she put on it?

In essence, the businessman has lots of urgent and important things on the go, and he needs to get this task done. It takes the time relative to its importance - a few minutes. For the little old lady, this is the only task and it expands in time and importance to fill her whole day.

I need to fill my day up more, and take the 'businessman's postcard' approach. Though meter readings, cancelling things, paying things and ordering works took a few hours on the phone today, I could certainly have fitted more in. I have worked in high pressure environments with extremely high volumes of work. I need to get back that ruthless ordering of priorities that used to save my sanity.

Still, no takeaway again tonight - lamb burgers, mashed potato and beans. Little bear ate most of the mash, a forkful of beans and a smidgeon of burger (evil cat stole the rest, she is feeling a lot better) but he had had a baked potato at nursery today at teatime so I was not so stressed.