Day 10: You Want That When?

Wish 10: Good Planning

It's just days to Christmas. And it is just amazing how many people want something done before Christmas.

The construction of our new office building has been delayed, several times. Now it's crunch time. We have to move in and operate by New Year. There is no other option because we have to leave our temporary office before the year ends.

There were months when construction went at a snail's pace. But now that there is a drop dead date, the construction site looks like a scene from Extreme Home Makeover.

Deadlines are always around in our business life. Unless everybody has good work discipline, we humans are likely to work harder closer to the deadline. Look, I'm posting this at 1:30am in the morning. You can tell when something is going to be delayed. If you ask, "How is that project going?" they will answer, "It's 95% complete". Hogwash.

Having more time won't even help. Parkinson's Law briefly stated is: 'work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.' Extend a deadline by 5 days, and it will be completed at the last moment on the 5th day.

The Christmas season is even worse. All the deadlines seem to be on the 24th, because "people will be on their holidays". That includes your deadlines for work and school. Personal care, like haircuts, increase just before Christmas. So does shopping and partying and drinking. No wonder people go nuts this time of year.

Imagine a world where people planned well and were disciplined enough to balance their workload to complete on time. "How's that project going?" "It's on time." (Cue the singing cherubim.)

"But what if this unforeseen event happens?" "I've thought of that. It's taken care of." Sigh. I could celebrate Christmas without guilt.

And that is what I wish today.