One of the tasks I've taken on in my job is keeping the minutes of our weekly phonecons, which usually run for an hour or more. I type them up as people are talking, then send them off within a minute or two of the phonecon being over.

Today I got kudos on this both from my boss and from a peer manager for cranking these things out in such detail, so fast, and in such an easily reviewed format. Which was kind of neat.

I had to confess, though, it was just laziness.

I know, if I'm doing this stuff, that I have to get it sent right away. If I don't, I'll forget it, or it will get buried under some other window, or I'll not recall something correctly. so I do it right then and there.

I also know that I am really awful on phone conversations, esp. ones that I'm not doing most of the talking on (and I hate talking on the phone). I get way too easily distracted -- especially with a high-powered, multi-tasking, Internet-connected PC right there in front of me -- if I'm just sitting there listening to people drone on and on and on ... So I keep the notes, because it forces me to listen to what people are saying, and to not be doing anything else at the same time.

And I format the stuff so it's easy to track assignments down afterwards because, well, otherwise I'd forget my assignments and never find them again.

So, you see, it's all laziness.

Though, I suppose, as Heinlein once wrote, "Progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." I always try to play to my weaknesses ...

Filed under :: Job Jollies
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