Alright, so today was about getting ready. You know, the usual grind before the thing happens. I call it my ‘as it was prep’ because, honestly, it feels like I’ve done this exact routine a million times before, maybe just for different stuff.
First thing, I just sat down. Cleared the desk a bit. Too much clutter messes with my head. Found my old notepad – the physical one, yeah. Sometimes typing just doesn’t cut it. Needed to feel the pen on paper.
Started jotting down the main targets. What absolutely had to be sorted? Pulled up the old files, the ones from the last time this came around. It’s funny how you forget the details, even when the core task feels identical. Had to really dig for one specific number I needed. Wasted a good chunk of time on that, typical.
Getting into the Nitty-Gritty
Once I had the basics mapped out, I started breaking things down. Like, actual steps. Not just ‘finish report’ but:
- Gather data points A, B, C.
- Check source X for consistency.
- Draft section 1.
- Find that specific chart from Q3 last year.
That kind of thing. It helps stop me from feeling overwhelmed. Otherwise, my brain just goes into panic mode, thinking about the whole mountain instead of the first few rocks.
I remembered this one technique, something about pulling info out of your brain instead of just cramming it in. Retrieval practice, maybe? So I tried that. Covered up my notes and just tried to recall the key arguments I needed to make. Surprised myself, actually remembered more than I thought I would. Still missed a couple of things, which is good, tells me where the gaps are.
Honestly, the hardest part? Just staying focused. My mind kept wandering. Thinking about that plumber I need to call back, what’s for dinner… real productive stuff, you know? Had to keep yanking my attention back to the task. It’s like training a stubborn dog.
Made a separate list for the ‘blockers’. Things I couldn’t solve right then because I needed input from someone else, or some system was down. Always happens. Used to frustrate me way more. Now? Eh, it’s just part of the process. Put it on the list, fire off the email or the message, and move on to the next thing I can control.
So, yeah. Went through the lists, checked things off. Double-checked the main points. Feels… alright. Prepared enough, I guess. It’s never perfect, is it? But it’s as ready as it needs to be for now. Better than going in cold, which I definitely did back in the day. Learned that lesson the hard way a few times.
