Stretching time

I have a hugely busy day today, and am just going to keep working until as late tonight as I possibly can. I hate the way a two minute admin job (which the time management gurus tell you that you should do immediately it comes up) stretches into ten, and reminds you of two other two minute tasks at the same time.

The time management gurus would also tell me to keep a diary and make a log of interruptions, ranking them 'A, B, C, D' in order of importance. You do this conscientiously for a week, and then make plans to minimize the 'C' and 'D' interruptions (eg making sure your stationery is ordered and stocked before you run out, ensuring you know where the torch is and that it's working, before next time there's a blackout). All of which I'm sure is a great idea, but would stretch the 10 minutes to 15 and I just can't bear that right now.

My last 'A' level interruption happened in the last 10 days and probably cost me 72 hours. But the reason it was an A level interruption meant that it just had to happen, in a near-ontological sense, and in a funny sort of way will probably repay itself handsomely in time saved and effectiveness of effort over the next several years. Obscure I know, but I don't have time to explain now and I am right up against a reasonably deadly deadline.

The A level interruption before then...hmm... might've been a hospital visit with a child with a temperature of 42 deg (C), a few years ago. Probably an A++ really, even though there was nothing they could do beyond what I'd already done.

Well, actually, Ruby's birthday dinner tonight with grandpa is probably also an A++ interruption to the day's and night's writing, but one that the whole family is going to love.