Busy days

[bktheirregular]

Two of the associates and one of the partners were all competing for my time today - leading to squabbles over whose jobs got priority. Next time it happens, I'm going to suggest they grab some pistols, schlep out to Weehawken, and whoever comes back alive can tell me what needs doing.

Probably I'll remain busy all week long. Right up through Friday - New Year's Eve.

Which reminds me: my situation's not quite like this guy's, but ... well, let's just say I wouldn't mind an excuse to bail out of the family's New Year's Eve party...

Comments

[havocthecat]

Heh. Just tell 'em to unzip their flies and you'll do jobs for whoever's got the longest one first.

In advice which has some actual practicality (though YMMV so take it as you will), at my last job I took a combination of whose title was highest and whose deadline came first and mishmashed that all together into a priority list. For example, the Executive VP whose contract didn't start until six months from the date I got the assignment but needed to "get it out the door ASAP before the client changes her mind" got a lower priority than the VP or lesser executive whose contract starts next week. It was a little more complicated than that (office politics being what they are, and the majority of executives being the assholes that they are), but that's generally how I made it work for me.

And then in a total CYA move (when it was necessary, which admittedly wasn't often), I took everything in that order, showed it to my supervisor, and asked her if the order looked good or if there was anything I should place a higher priority on. (Which worked with New Boss, but Senile Boss said everything was a high priority because she was--you guessed it--farking nutters.) Personally, were I in your place, I'd be going to whoever signed my timecard as my nominal supervisor and asking them to go over a priority list. That way any time someone wants to change the priority list you can say, "Well, gosh, this is the order I need to do things in according to so-and-so, but I'll be sure to ask him if it has a higher priority Partner X and Attorney Y's work."

(Occasionally I got really mean and did a "first come, first served" dealie with my inbox. That was when I was really overwhelmed.)

[weirdweb.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity, when do you get off on Friday?

[bktheirregular]

They just decided that the office will be closed Friday, so it turns out I've got that day back. After a fashion.