How to be unproductive

“Three potential clients became clients. As others know there is a fair amount of work involved when taking on new clients.”

It really depends. Some new clients may need three years accounts doing immediately. Other clients may not be at the end of their first year.

“Also I have really messed up the accounting for one client. This is because of my lack of their industry knowledge.”

What industry are they in? Do you use www.cchbusinessfocus.co.uk

“I have applied to buy block fees.”

Are you sure that is a good idea? Will the clients stay with you?

“I will start cleaning up my place with radio in the background. It relaxes me.”

I would do accounting and have a cleaner do the cleaning.

It's hard to underestimate the psychological lift to be obtained from tidying a cupboard Peter.  To someone with their psyche fully under control that might sound bonkers, but it's the best therapy that doesn't come in tablet form.

When it all gets too much and someone is nudging towards stress or depression, the causes are often to be found in a lack of control over their environment, either at work, at home or in their personal life.  If you can't directly exert control over the problem, exert control over something smaller - like a cupboard, throw away the best by Aug-08 packets of rice and just get on top of something.

But you're bang on about fee blocks and I don't like it being presented as a beauty contest.  That way lies the prospect of over-paying.

I worry how much of this cleaning at home is simply a way of avoiding the problems at work - a sort of "cleaning at home while the office burns" attitude.

I know a client who lets things get on top of him and when he starts to do one task he cracks up thinking about the other 20 tasks that are not being done. I tell him to choose the most important or urgent task and deal with it and forget about everything else. It doesn't work.

I have a lot of tasks to do right now. Guess what I do? I choose the most important/urgent task and do that. When I have completed that I choose the next most important/urgent task and do that.

I can be lazy at work. I can do too little exercise. I can eat too much. But regularly I tell myself to snap out of it and deal with issues. I deal with the important issues and it makes me feel better. Letting the important issues get worse while dealing with unimportant issues may reinforce the dependence on avoiding the important issues.

Willpower is a wonderful thing. After dealing with a few tasks that seemed as if they would be difficult you can usually look back and say: "What was all the fuss about?".

“The fact that I tend to get really wound up by some of the AW response does not help. This is stupid of me.”

I think it's my philosophy that Peter's bitching about FT, and I'm afraid it doesn't show wisdom to think that one way is the best.  For some people, presented with a To Do list of 20 things, the answer is to do the difficult thing first and work downwards.  For others, they need the momentum that's generated by starting at the bottom.  Neither approach is right and anyone who preaches that one or other route is the better one, shows little understanding of how other human beings tick.

Different strokes etc and Snap Out Of It is almost an in-joke for shrinks.  The important thing is self-knowledge - what works best and most productively for oneself.  

Starting at the bottom is enticing but as accountants we don't often have the luxury of doing that due to the urgency issue.

The "shrinks" often like to see a problem where there is no problem.

The other day I mentioned bullying. Many people say they were bullied to jump on the bandwagon and give a reason for not dealing with issues. Most people were "bullied" at some stage of their lives. It's best just to get on with life.

We can always think of reasons why we need sympathy and not stand up to our responsibilities but I think that in the vast majority of cases it's not necessary.

I don't think FT needs psychiatric help. He thinks by writing about things it helps him. I disagree,  By all means think about your problems but also think about solutions to the actual problems and carry them out. Don't think about what might make you feel better but in reality delays you from dealing with a problem. We can analyse ourselves into madness if we want but I would suggest if you consider the most obvious way to resolve problems you are more likely to improve things.

I went to an all boys school and I didn't have a lot of contact with girls. When I started meeting girls I was terrified and didn't know what to do. I could have read up on problems and made a big issue out of it and tried to seek help but I didn't. My solution was to go up to as many girls as possible and start talking to them. In no time at all I was relaxed and happy and I've always preferred the company of women.

Put him on ignore.  Whoever he is.  ;-)

Advice given could help other people as well as you.

Equally so, you don't need to take my advice. It's your decision.

because it gives me the opportunity to put off further something that I've been avoiding!

If my surroundings are untidy / grubby / covered in paw marks then I struggle. So for me spending some time having a really good clean is worth it because I'll then be more productive and focussed. It's just the way my brain is wired (or fried!). And I do put things off sometimes - and yes they do take very little time when I get started :) But I wouldn't clean if it wasn't bothering me and I had tons of urgent stuff outstanding. It's only because it's slowing me down mentally (and I can't just half clean - it's all or nothing. Skirting boards, ceiling edges and everything in between.)

But I do think Peter is right about thinking up solutions. Identifying problems is well and good but you need to be coming up with answers too. Now my current problem is - do I answer this letter that I've been ignoring for a week (it hasn't gone away despite my hoping) or do I make a cherry flan? Oh bugger, I've just remembered 2 emails that also need answering! Cup of tea then. Letter. Emails. Flan & feet up. There you go, sorted, easy peasy. This blogging idea does work :)

When I was studying I noticed how I got more interested in cleaning!

I try to answer things that don't take very long first because rather than have a large number of small tasks making you stressed I prefer having a few bigger tasks outstanding.

Clients will think the worst if you take a week before you answer an email which could be answered in five minutes but they are very impressed if you answer immediately.

I've done the 2 emails and letter but ran out of time to make the cherry flan (well, make and eat).. It may have to be fairy cakes tomorrow and to hell with the work! I knew I should have started with the fun bit :)