Backfire

We are trying to get ahead of schedule on the catalog (due to be finished by the third week of November). We fell a little bit behind, but then got mostly caught up last week. This week, we have been placed on what is called mandatory overtime—everyone works an extra hour a day.

For me, this means getting here at 7 a.m. (when it is still dark) and leaving at 4:30 p.m. I am supposed to pick my younger child up around 4:45, but this week, it has been more like 5:05. My day care provider is okay with that, for one week. My older child doesn't need to be picked up until 6 p.m., so that's not an issue.

Anywho, the point is: an extra hour of being at work does not (in my case) mean an extra hour of work. Although I haven't been doing much personal stuff at my desk (i.e. writing weblog entries, balancing my checkbook), I also haven't been slaving away on these pages.

I've been doing a lot of surfing and day dreaming. I tend to go here, or here, or even here, to be educated about the upcoming election (and in case I need facts to present to my in-laws).

Today, for example, I have been here about 2 hours. And I haven't managed to even start the spread I picked up at 7:15.

I am still doing up to five-six spreads a day (that's 10-12 pages), but I feel slow and inefficient. To say my mind is not 100% on my work would be an understatement. So I'm not sure how this extra hour is helping.

Maybe I just need an extra cup of coffee.