September 10, 2008
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What are people SO BUSY doing anyway?
So, I volunteered last year to put together (a.k.a. copy and paste) a document for a committee I was on. I like doing that stuff because I am secretly obsessed with document design (okay, not really a secret anymore, but whatever); I let everyone think I was taking a huge load of their backs by doing this when, really, it seemed fun and it was something to do in between classes. This year was no different. I threw the whole thing together yesterday afternoon since I only had one class at 8am and then a meeting at 4pm. This morning, the chair of the committee asked us to summarize one of the chunks of information in the document I’d just sent her. No problem. I copied and pasted again, fully using my fast reading skills to lightly summarize the chunk and emailed it back out.
Now, after I sent it, I got to wondering why others aren’t that efficient… I don’t mean to say that in a bragging tone, but really. What is everyone else doing? Worrying about their kids/hubbies/lives so much they can’t work? I don’t quite understand it. Maybe I am simply fabulous at multi-tasking?
Here’s another situation. When I first landed my job here, I was given some committees to be on from others in the department who either just didn’t want to be on that particular committee anymore or who thought they were going to be too busy (and I wouldn’t be because?) to participate. Now, I don’t have the hubby and kids and house and golden lab, but, I do have a life. Yet, mine must be more organized or something? I think I’ll chalk up this situation to the fact that they may just have wanted me to be on a committee or two to get around campus more.
I don’t even think it’s about class load either. I mean, I’ve taught six courses in one semester. I think I taught seven for half of a semester once too. And even after gaining another committee and another committee and advising duties, I’ve still had time to do things.
Perhaps it’s the facade of being busy that people like. Or perhaps it’s the chore at hand (they don’t like document design). Or perhaps they want to make me feel like I’m not doing enough (“Oh, you have time to do that?).
It’s not that even want this to come across like a bitch session either. I LIKE doing geeky things; I’m just very suspicious of these VERY BUSY people.
It even leaks over into my personal life. I have friends who are too busy to call, but I could probably call them everyday and have 10min to spare just to speak with them. I have friends, too, who give me crap that I have time to go to Facebook everyday or blog on three blogs everyday. We make time to do what we like to do, right? Are THAT many people unorganized? SERIOUSLY?
Comments (6)
It’s a question of priorities, I suspect. But thanks for reminding us that we can do more if we put our minds to it.
@moritheil - You know… I really don’t care if people really are busy or think they are busy; all I ask is not to be made fun of for having time or taking time or getting things done quickly and well. And I also don’t like being given more stuff to do just because a) I’m efficient, b) single, and c) a total geek.
Well… I think I am really THAT busy, and I’m not a disorganized or inefficient person either. I also think I definitely had more time when I was single. It’s just the truth… it makes me afraid to have kids, honestly, because I don’t see how there’s enough hours in the day for them and my job, marriage, house, and graduate school classes.
yes, i was told tonight that i clearly must have too much time on my hands because i blog in two places and am on facebook regularly. (then someone else reminded them that i also work nearly full time and i am a full time college student.) sure, i’m busy. but truth is that we always find time for the things we love.
oh, and i’m with you there too… i LOVE desktop publishing. i know i am totally a geek to admit it, but designing documents and forms is beyond fun and people miss out on it. and don’t EVEN get me started on how much i love fonts. heh heh heh.
@espoir - Like I said, if you are that busy, cool – rock on. You probably aren’t one of “those people” who give others crap for having more time, blogging more, etc.
@PhilippiansThree14 - ”sure, i’m busy. but truth is that we always find time for the things we love.” = Precisely.
Acceptably Like for all time I need to acknowledge you are completely proper
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