The nature of work

I've been doing a lot of thinking about this recently - about the nature of work, about how we go about getting things done, about how we approach each work day and how that changes from day to day. And, so far, here's what I've discovered.

Focus on the big stuff
Some days (and weeks) I spend all of my time working on a single project. It takes all my effort and focus. I usually make a lot of progress, and also make the client happy. Of course, this means lots of other things get dropped by the wayside.

Focus on the little stuff
There are other days where my primary goal is to check as many things off my list as possible. This usually results in a feeling of accomplishment, but it's short-lived and not based in reality. For one thing, my work is highly project-based, and I have far too much like it (like everyone else on the team - this is just status quo for us). Focusing on the little stuff usually means that I'm not working on the large projects, and therefore, neglecting the more important stuff. Even if I do manage to cross off small tasks from large projects, there are always more to take their place. The number of things on my to-do list rarely actually goes down, and over time, this is frustrating.

Keeping all the balls in the air
Then, there are weeks like this. Weeks where every single one of the 10 active client projects on my list require at least some of my attention. Weeks where I am all too aware that this means an average of four hours a project, assuming that I literally spend 40 hours on active client projects. (With internal projects, and normal work breaks, this doesn't happen.) Weeks when this completely overwhelms me.

This is one of those weeks.

The thrill of generosity

I'm learning what it means to be generous.

It's always something that I thought I would do later - when I paid off this or that, when I made more money, etc. And to some degree, there's truth there - when you live paycheck to paycheck and up to your ears in debt, it doesn't leave much room for generosity.

That said, I believe it's possible to be generous in every circumstance. If you're fighting your way out of debt or barely scraping by, even giving a small amount can be generous. And there are more things to be generous with, too - such as your time and your talents.

Plus, giving is a reminder that it's not really all about us, anyway. No matter how bleak things may look financially, there are others in greater need than we are. And for those of us that believe in God and that all money, even the ability to make money, is a gift from Him, it's an expression of gratitude to a God who has blessed us beyond what we deserve.

The lack of posts...

I haven't posted much lately.

I don't think it's because I don't have anything to say.

It's not because I'm too busy. In some ways, my commitments at work and such have stepped up, but I'm not overwhelmed by it.

I'm still here, just really enjoying life at the moment. I love this time of year (when it doesn't rain) - I love the sun, and the warmer weather, and wearing brighter colors and capris, and shopping for sandals, and being outside. In a few weeks, my allergies will hit, hard, and for a few weeks, I'll be lamenting this time of year, but for now, I love it!

Another note: I've recently decided to get serious about losing weight, probably for the first time in my life. I'm doing this with my mom, weighing in together, pooling our money to provide accountability, and it's going well. I'm loosely following Weight Watchers, though not formally joining the program, and in general, just trying to be more healthy - eating only until I'm full, snacking on fruits instead of chips, planning ahead. There's a long way to go, but I'm making progress, and that's what counts, right?

Until next time...