As we head inevitably towards the end of the year and, consequently, the end of Q4, things at the dayjob become more and more intense. Or maybe that’s just me.
The last few days I’ve had my nose to the grindstone with a particular project. Other potential work has been moved away from me so I could focus on it. As good as it is to feel that people have my back, the obligation I feel to not let them down is a far more immediate feeling. By extension, I tend to work harder. Late nights, through lunches, weekends, and so on. And as deadlines approach, the work tends to become a bit more hectic.
The frustrating part is that after the work is done, I may not be done with it. Revisions may come back if the client changed their mind or, more likely, I did not interpret the direction of the documentation accurately enough. Additional functionality may be required. Or, as was the case last night, the whole thing may simply refuse to work once it’s in a live environment.
I’m managing the stress as best I can and keeping in mind that this won’t last forever. But my flagging energy reserves need to be addressed and I need to find my groove again.
