Friday after work, Donica and I hoped onto a train to Goslar, 70 minutes southeast of Hannover, for a nice R&R weekend in the Harz Mountains. More on that later this week!
On the train going, Friday, Donica had to finish a project that was due to her Atlanta boss at 10p that night (4p Atlanta time). It had to be done! She had been in business meetings in Amsterdam all week and in Hannover on Friday and simply couldn't get the project done till on the train.
So I, of course, was left to my camera and wandering thoughts. Where I wandered to was this: some of us have a pattern of getting work done first so as to have (the sense of) more time to play later; others of us play first and then work hard and fast under pressure. No right or wrong either way. Maybe a personality thing?
When I was in school (yea those many years ago), I would often get my homework done before supper and then have the rest of the evening free to do whatever. In my everyday (retired) life now, I tend to do my chores first and then "reward" myself with fun/soulful things the rest of the day. Donica, on the other hand, tends to "play" first, saving her "projects" for the last minute, and then works well or better under the time-pressure.
This kinda reminds me of "Eat dessert first!" Hmm. If everyone could pull it off, there's definitely something to be said for playing first and working later, I guess. Or how about a compromise: I'll work first, play later, and make up for it by eating dessert first when it's time for dinner! That'll work!
Wanna know my method? I work a little, then play a little. For instance, at home on weekends, I do a household task for 30-45 minutes, then read or write for the same amount of time -- or some other fun task, or as long as I feel like it. It's a flow that I just follow, and it helps me not feel I'm in drudgery for hours on end.
ReplyDeleteRuth, I like that! Sounds just like you :)
ReplyDeleteI think I'm more like you Ginnie but every now and then, I love throwing in a bit of the play first do it later. It does have to do with personality types and how you grew up. With my schedule, I had to do things promptly or it would result in no sleep. I love sleep, even if it wasn't much back then.
ReplyDeleteI know that for someone who always does the work first, before any playing, my method must look like I totally play first and do my work later. However, there are many things I do immediately so they don't stick around on my "to do" list, and you never see those. But, there are others that need some careful reflection and thought before they can be completed. These are the ones that look like I put them off when in fact I have to work out all the angles before I have the framework to put them together. So, even if it doesn't appear that I have been working, my mind is continually processing these larger tasks (and it is sometimes done without 'going out of my head' in the process).
ReplyDeleteAnd then of course, there are those weeks when my "work" time is not my time at all, and everything I had on the schedule for work gets transferred to MY personal time in the evening or on the weekend! Either way, I love my job as much as anyone can love their job.
And, anytime I have a chance to "play now" and "play later", I will do both! (Hopefully that will leave time for the work too!)
Truth be known, Expat, I, too, can play first! I have become much more spontaneous as I've gotten older. Maybe I realize that life really is short--you almost have to eat dessert first :)
ReplyDeleteDonica: I am often reminded that your head is working overtime almost every minute, even if it doesn't appear so on the outside. You are one amazing woman! You obviously have gotten to be where you are today because you know when and how to work and play. I learn from you!
I agree. Donica puts in plenty of overtime, so maybe she could legitimately take about 2 years of compensation. Ha!
ReplyDeletedon't i wish that were possible!!! unfortunatley....comp time does not exist 'officially' in our HR package! an occasional afternoon off is about all that can be arranged. however, i get to keep the airline miles so i call that my 'comp'. ;)
ReplyDeleteI agree, Ruth. 2 years of compensation is about right. Thank God she gets to keep the airline miles, of which, of course, I am the lucky beneficiary! Yaaay!
ReplyDelete. . . and others of us as well are beneficiaries!!! THANK YOU again! What an amazing Paris year that was.
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