Comments on: Randomness That Works

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:14:03 +0000

I work whenever I want, but I only respond to business clients during business hours. I may write the email at 2 AM on Saturday, but I won't send it until Monday morning, unless there's a reason to get info back quickly. Once you let them cross boundaries, most of them are impossible.

Unless you're paying me for 24/7 access, you don't get it, and so far, no one has coughed up that enormous amount of cash! ;)

Jake, Badger Medicine is awesome!

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:06:23 +0000

Paula, I like your new rule. FINALLY! You may actually get to a point where you don't (gasp) work weekends. :)

You have a conundrum there, don't you? Here's what I suggest - after about one more round of that, ask them if they'd be willing to take you on faith. That sounds frustrating as hell!

And you're absolutely right - that's EXACTLY why I love lists. They're not strict. They're just lists. I can check them off or ignore them for better things (like dog petting). :)

Jake, words to live by -- honey badger don't give a shit. It just takes what it wants. LOL!

By: Jake P

Jake P — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:11:33 +0000

Among other things, honey badgers are extraordinarily curious. Luckily, they're nasty enough to extricate themselves from the circumstances that they inevitably encounter.

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:06:27 +0000

Lori & I are alike in preferring routines and enjoying crossing things off lists. For me that works because I am so easily distracted. I can get up to make another cup of tea, decide to pet my dog en route, walk into the kitchen and say, "Why did I come in here?" Then I'll decide to do laundry so it seems as if I had a reason for leaving my desk. I look at my daily to do lists so ensure I don't forget anything.

Right now I have a couple of clients who are really controlling. Later today I have to send one of them a required weekly update. I normally try to keep my editors updated - when there is something to say. But these clients want to track my work to make sure I'm not slacking off or something.

Both of them assign broad topics and need to approve the sources. They literally tie my hands. I'm used to flexibility in finding my own sources and working around problems. Not sure how long these will last unless I can train the editors to TRUST THEIR WRITERS. (Yes, I shouted. Intentionally.) One of them sends me questions to ask, as if I'm too dumb to think of any. The other allows me to come up with questions, but has to approve them prior to any interviews.

I should have known better than to accept a new assignment from one of these editors before finishing an assignment for the other. I predict a week's worth of nightmares as these two projects overlap. (BTW, I started a new rule last night - if I get weekend or after normal business hour e-mails from these editors I won't open them until my next "regular business day.")

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:14:27 +0000

I edited the post, Jake. You were more curious, right?

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:09:26 +0000

That's because that honey badgers just badass. LOL

Honestly for me, I don't enjoy being structured. Weird, but I love to make lists and I love to have a routine, and I'd die if I weren't on time for something. But I'm sitting here on a gorgeous, humid Friday thinking we have that pool membership that needs to be used....

Damn right, Ashley! Give 'em hell! Go party! Serves 'em right making you work! :)

By: Jake P

Jake P — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:45:14 +0000

Oh, so now you're enabling me! Heehee.

Honestly, I wasn't feeling down about it, more that I find it curious how structured some people enjoy being. (My 14-year-old daughter is that way...She evidently got that from my mom, whereas I got my dad's honey badger streak.)

Anyway, this list may be random, but it's rock solid.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:35:42 +0000

I'm all about rebellion, even in the cheesiest of ways! If I don't do something "bad" every once in a while (chips and ice cream for dinner is a regular thing...) then I start to feel trapped. Can't stand that!

Sometimes I blow off work for a fun night out. I know I'm going to pay for it later, but it's MY decision to make. As long as I get the work done, no one needs to know WHEN it got done or how late I stayed up to finish it. I hate the feeling that someone else can dictate how I live my life. No thanks!

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:20:22 +0000

You should see it today, Ashley. We're still organizing things, but today was our deadline. Glad you enjoyed it! Hope it was helpful to you.

Unscheduled time is what I live for, too. I'm a huge list maker, but as I said on the call yesterday, I'm not much for actually following them. Bit of rebellion that keeps me from taking myself too seriously. :)

By: Ashley

Ashley — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:00:07 +0000

I'm with Devon; I like a lot of unscheduled time. I do, however, like to-do lists, mostly because I like crossing things off of them! :) But I like to do it at my pace because everything turns out better when I'm "feeling it." On the other side of that, though, is procrastination, and I have to beware of that, so to-do lists help keep me organized. So, I guess I'm a little of both: organized and random.

Really enjoyed the webinar and comments from others. Some of the comments/resources you provided in chat were the most helpful! Looking forward to receiving your e-book and the other goodies!