What Simple Things/Tasks Take You So Long To Accomplish?
I spent five minutes this morning, trying to find where the Scotch tape starts. A brand new role and I can't find the beginning. I turned it over and over, looking for that tiny indention. A scrape with a fingernail and I'm in business. What took so long?
This began with a conversation from a co-worker, about the amount of time we waste, on stuff that should be a snap. They are probably a couple of hours a week, that could be recovered.
Doesn't sound like much until you put it in terms of months, years, or decades.
I leave the house, every morning, in the dark. There is an art of leaving a dark house to an even darker porch, where I need the key to my house, so I can lock the deadbolt. I have strategically, placed the house key on one side of my car key. But I can't find it. I feel every key on my key ring to find it. Then I go back into the house and turn the lights on, so I can find the key. Then, I go back outside. That's three or four minutes I'll never get back.
I spun a roll of toilet paper around say 20 times, last night, looking for that entry sheet. Couldn't find it, so I made my own. Then I found it. It's on the other side of where I made my cut. Five minutes right there.
Filling up my gas tank, is the biggest waste of time, in my life. There is a switch inside my car, that opens the door for the nozzle. I run my credit card through the gas pump, answer the same 20 questions, the same way I always do.
No, I don't want a car wash, thank you. I forgot to flip the switch in my car. I have to put the nozzle back, go to my car, flip the switch, go back to the nozzle, and stand there, as my tank fills. Can't use the phone. Didn't think to bring a book. 15 minutes has gone by.
My cell phone is ringing and I don't recognize the number, so I let it go to voicemail. Curiosity is killing me. I open the voicemail app and listen to the message. The "police" want me to pay a fine, so they called me on the phone. I know it's a scam, but I look at my phone thinking of...five good, funny. or pithy things I'm going to say to the scammer when I call him back. I'm never going to call him back. Delete the voicemail, block the number. 10 minutes.
When I get to work, it's dark. I have the building key on my key ring, strategically placed next to my car key, on the opposite side of my house key. I give all keys on my key ring a quick squeeze, and can't find the one I need. Back to the car, to get some light so I can find the right key. Walk back to the door. Time wasted? It feels like hours, but it was 4 minutes, tops.
No, I'm not OCD. Yes, I call myself an idiot, when time wasting happens because I couldn't locate the correct key. Time beating myself up? Pretty much all day.
Are there some simple things, that seem to take you forever? Let us know, in the comments below.