One of the real advantages of working in a start up is the relatively limited number of meetings. I’m no fan of the meeting. It usually seems like there’s 10 minutes of useful information for every hour in a meeting. I do understand that they have some merit at times, but too often they get thrown for the sake of having a meeting. So much of our team conversation is informal and happens in small bursts. For that matter, we’ll often instant message one another, even when we are in the same room. It leaves my schedule very open, but my days really busy. Strangely, it feels perfectly natural to work in that way.
However, my home life is the complete opposite. The kids have to be dropped off and picked up at defined times. If my wife and I are going out, we have to plan for a babysitter and schedule that. It’s not uncommon for us to have three or four things that are scheduled in a day. There’s lots of overlap. We’ll have friends over, wine tastings, hockey games, skating lessons, church, and any array of other things. Of course, I also work lots on the weekend so I fit that in during all of the gaps. I kind of end up running from place to place.
It’s funny that the same bad habit that I had in meetings some times haunt me during my busy weekends. I’ll frequently check my messages at less than ideal times. Any little lull and I’ll make the move toward the Blackberry. It’s just as bad at home, where I’ll find my way to check not only my email, but twitter, webtrends and other feedback.
There have been nights where I have two happy hours, tickets to a hockey game, and family plans. It’s the overlap that’s the hardest part. Sometimes things just have to get cut short or blown off. I’ve had to make those drop in appearances occasionally. When there’s too much to do, that’s just a choice that has to be made.
Just while I have been writing this my wife added two things to my weekend calendar.
The strange thing is that I don’t think I would want it any other way. My family life might be more corporate than my professional life, but I’d rather enjoy the energy of the multitude of activity. I’d rather have a full day of activity than the lulls.
However, I still don’t understand people that are energized by a working day that’s full of meetings. Could some one please explain the thrill in that?
Tags: corporate life, family time, meetings, scheduling