GHDO for December 12: Scheduling Difficulties

GHDO for December 12: Scheduling Difficulties

"'Test Pattern' by phdstudent is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0" I’m really crunched for time, so I’m posting a very abbreviated report today. I’ll post a more detailed followup with the 2020 summary sometime after Christmas.

But since I’m already here, I’ll make a few quick observations

  • Not tracking was not bad when I gave myself permission to focus on only one thing (software development) this year to the exclusion of all other projects. There was time between lulls where I could do a few chores, but it was impossible for me to start an entire other project with an entirely different context. It may have always been this way, but I thought I could think my way out of it.

  • Tracking is better for managing multiple projects, but still requires time awareness and time management skill. These are two areas where I am really deficient. I’d like to address them in a future post.

  • Focusing on one thing for the year did yield noticeable improvements in the skill level! I don’t think would have been possible had I kept splitting my attention between two or three other projects as I have in the past, though I still feel somewhat guilty about backburnering so many things.

  • I have noticed that a lot of internalized anger from my childhood is still there. Instead of overcoming it as I thought I did, I have merely redirected it into becoming more knowledgeable and more independent. However, my internal calm is still a facade over deep anger just beneath the surface. I don’t want to be that way; this maybe a candidate for 2021. I am not as evolved as I thought.

I am really burned-out, having not had a mental break from project work since March. As a result I am feeling quite out of balance but there is so much work to do. I’ve been buying a lot of cooking gear as a kind of “retail therapy”, because cooking is the only break I’m really allowing myself. No games, though I am itching to try Red Dead Online, Star Citizen, and now Cyberpunk 2077. NetFlix is reserved for watching while eating; currently I’m working my way through The Repair Shop which is just lovely.

Quick Notes:

  • The Virtual Coworking Chat is still going strong. It’s really a source of camaraderie these days.
  • Working more has the side benefit of bequeathing extra income, so I am now the owner of a Cosori air fryer, a Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus multicooker, and a Anova Sous Vide Precision immersion cooker. These kind of “fire and forget” devices are helping me focus more on work while still getting decent food results.
  • My Carmen Sandiego costume is coming along for Halloween 2021.
  • My laptop (a 2013 Macbook Pro 15) is starting to get really sluggish, but I think I’m going to wait for the ARM-powered Macbook Pro instead of getting the current 9th-gen Intel model. It looks good, but (1) I can survive with this 7-year old laptop for a little while longer and (2) I would be pretty mad if the 2021 Macbook Pro w/ Apple Silicon is as fast as I expect it to be.

That’s it for now! I hope everyone is maintaining their sanity in these trying times!


About this Article Series

For 2020 I am NOT doing Groundhog Day Resolutions, and am instead thinking about what life is like without them. You'll find the related posts on this subject at 2020 NOT Groundhog Day Resolutions page. You can also find the link under the INVESTIGATIONS menu item on my website.

1 Comment

  1. Rick Drozenski 4 years ago

    Hang in there, Dave! Keep on publishing.