I just finished what I believe to be one of the longest “short” weeks I’ve ever had. As I organized my “to do” list, putting action items in my four areas of responsibility, it occurred to me that I wasn’t succeeding in any of the four areas. I’m simply trying to do too much in too many areas – each with a steep learning curve – and because I’m jumping around (partially because my boss’s constant change in focus, and partially due to constant interruptions in the office, which cause me to lose focus), I’m not spending enough quality time in any one area to gain competency.
It’s sad really when you come to the conclusion that you aren’t cutting it; that you are incompetent in what you do. You don’t want to be incompetent, but the only cure for it is learning the craft, and time spent doing it. I’m doing too many things right now, and no one thing very well! I finally told my boss this at the end of the day (I had overheard him complaining about me earlier in the day… which didn’t help things). I’m going to try my best to “compartmentalize” my four hats and set aside time for each, so rather than jumping around on tasks, I will set aside most of a day to complete a particular task. By doing so, I’ll gain competency. I might also need to work at home more, which actually offers me more focus, but now that I have a person working for me, I really can’t do that as much as I’d like.
In other news, my boss and I decided today that we would NOT be driving 1000 miles in a day to pick up some software and equipment. With the long drive imminent, we decided that doing this was just crazy! We’ll hire someone to deliver the stuff. From what we understand, a hired driver can deliver it for $500. – totally worth it in my opinion! We will both be glad to spend more time with our families… and perhaps less “intimate” time with each other. If I were doing a better job at this company, the drive would be fine. Right now… it could get a bit uncomfortable, though my boss is exceedingly gracious – quite a plus in my book!
Tonight is a Pot Luck at our house. I’m really looking forward to that, and even more so now that I can stay up later!