Some days it doesn’t pay to take a vacation
I decided last Thursday to take some time off from my About.com site (and clearly I still am…) because I was tired of HTML editors, didn’t want to talk CSS, wasn’t interested in updating old pages, wanted to finish a project for my art class, and was upset about a change in pay and how they tried to spin it to make it sound like it was chocolate-coated bad news. (It’s not really that bad of news, it’s just annoying how staff feels the need to spin things. Just be honest with us, most of us are grown ups, we can take it without the chocolate coating.) Anyway… So I arrived at my desk this morning chipper and eager to get back to work, or at least not as burnt out, and found:
- 11 CW articles I have to edit and post
- 49 (or more) HTML editors to review
- 4 show and tell articles to edit and post
- 8 long user reviews to edit and post
- 64 broken links
- 61 unread emails
- 1 newsletter to write
- 1 article to write
- unknown numbers of old articles I need to update and redirect with a redirect tool that is broken until later this week
At least with the last one I know I can’t do it because the tool is broken. What I want to work on: 1 article What I need to work on: 1 newsletter What I feel guilty if I don’t work on: 11 CW articles What I would like to finish: 49 HTML editor reviews What helps the site if I do: 12 user generated content files (show and tell articles and long user reviews) and fixing broken links and answering email I guess that clarifies things for me. First I’ll please myself, then do what I need to do, then appease my guilt, then if there’s time do the editors, UGC, and site management. Wow, I should write a whiny post every time I feel overwhelmed!