Long deadlines don’t make it easier to do trivial tasks

Here’s something I’ve fallen for too many times to count. I’ve got a packed schedule, and someone comes to me with some new piece of work. Don’t worry, they say, any time by the end of the week is okay.

It’s a gesture of kindness, giving me the flexibility to start the task anywhere between now and Friday. But despite the gesture, it doesn’t solve my problem. My schedule is already filled, and it’s just as hard to fit this task into my day today as it would be to do it on Friday. My scheduled work doesn’t get lighter as the week goes on, usually. Fridays are in fact one of the busiest days of my week.

So then comes the disappointment: I gave you a week to do this and it’s still not done. You were hoping a gap would open in my schedule sommehow, but I’m afraid it hasn’t. Other priorities are unending.

I’m sure someone’s written eloquently about low priority tasks and how they never get done, at least as long as there are higher priority tasks (and there always are). You either prioritize it or you drop it. The same goes for these small tasks that get handed to you throughout your week: you either do it right away or you drop it. Sometimes you really will have a gap later in the week, and you just can’t do anything today, but then you’re playing the prioritization game later in the week all the same. Sure, now I have a lull, but I have to choose between your small task and this long list of other tasks I could get a head start on.

I guess there’s just no room for trivial work in the busy season.