Who uses it: Management and organizational consultants
What it means: Work expands to fill the time allotted. First postulated by Professor C. Northcote Parkinson, in 1958. Parkinson's Law explains the expansion of bureaucracies without regard to the size of the workload.
How you can use it: To justify taking time off.
Looking over last week's posts, I saw how often I had referred to taking time off or playing hooky; and yet I managed to turn in six different projects last week, for five different clients. Granted, by the end of the week I was forgetting where I'd left my glasses, my keys, my dog and my car, but I still managed to do all that, read six books, go to the beach, the movies and Boston, and run sound and lights for three Gaslight performances. (No, I'm not hypomanic... I wish I were, sometimes.)
What I did not do last week was watch anything stupid on television. In fact, I'm seriously thinking about cancelling my cable television subscription, although I realize that might be compounding my antisocial tendencies. But now that the Sopranos are gone again until next year, the only things I watch are reruns of "The Simpsons" and old films on Turner Classic Movies. A Netflix subscription is a lot cheaper than cable television.
I digress. My point is that I think I am actually more productive if I feel like I'm taking time off; it makes me work harder when I'm at the computer, and I feel obligated to finish things so I can go off to the beach with a clear conscience. Important to remember.
Maybe I'll go to the movies this afternoon.
2 comments:
I hate to say I told you so but. . .actually I don't hate to say it!
We took the girls to the 10pm opening show last night of Superman Returns. There was actually a man in a cape there. He wasn't flamboyant. He just sat there with his wife/girlfriend, or perhaps sister - all things considered. You should play hooky and go see it!
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