What is in your head, that's what's on your desk.
Someone told me once at work that if my home order is good, I should apply it to work matters too. They said, “If you don’t tidy up, you won’t finish the tasks you started, and you’ll switch between them like that.”
Let me share some thoughts about the opposite. Every day at work, I'm exhausted by switching, being forced into "multitasking," jumping between chats and topics with urgent tasks, and so on.
And it’s not because of my own behavior that I end up doing the same **outside** of work?
I remember back in university, I asked my supervisor to let me finish one task before starting another. They didn't. And this is a problem everywhere.
- When choosing paints for automotive finishes, pick several at once. The client wants to see how things are going; give him a master class and a tour. But why aren’t the other two selections ready yet? You’ll have to go out on weekends to ensure everything is ready for Monday. And since you have three hours of work, don't waste time. Why not tidy up instead? (The service was open, and you had to be distracted by visitors.)
- I’m a pharmacist: Sort the medicines and answer calls simultaneously, take orders, and deliver them to the cashier. The customer is unhappy, and you need to smooth things over while also dealing with the order. Why aren't the medicines sorted yet?
- While calculating the model, write a note and go see the chief architect for his signature. Upon returning, the model fell and the calculation didn’t work, but you already have other more important tasks? Why did everything take so long? You could have written a script to automate it. What are you writing all this for? Better help the architects. Why hasn't the model been launched for calculation? What other script?
- Conduct an interview and then onboard a new employee. You’re going on a business trip tomorrow. The production fell. Another production fell. Oops, and that one too. Are you still here? You’re waiting for you. ASAP
- The most important thing is high-quality customer service. Why do you give this small client the same attention and care as a large one? Why are they leaving us? Do something! You need to rush to Crimea for pre-sales (I'm technical support, I can’t help with other people’s affairs, and traveling to Crimea will derail my trip to the US). Oh, how great that you came up with a way to automatically process statistics and show customer temperature. We really need this now; we sell well but don’t retain customers! You're too expensive for us, and anyway, you haven't done anything in three years. You’ve been fired.
- The most important tasks for you are pre-sales. Then your own. Ansible scripts aren’t suitable for testing the product. The production fell. Something is unclear; can you connect? (I have a call with a bank) You need to connect, without you, they won't figure it out. They need you. And so do they. And they’re waiting for you there. What were you doing anyway? Help write an article on Habr (Okay, change the style from “I’m a girl and I don’t understand anything” to “I’m a techie and I understand the topic”). Respond to comments; we’re being hated for the fact that the manager who doesn't understand wrote the article. Don’t forget about pre-sales. If it’s unclear, call the analysts, explain. Oh, well, if they can’t figure anything out at all, just do it yourself; no one else will be able to. Deadline is before lunch. How’s CI/CD?
- I should be doing your work? Escalation to the CEO: I should be doing your work? Do it on time, move the boxes for the girls in the archive department. Help transport documents to the archive. Hang the mirrors finally. How is your workspace occupied by someone else? Just find yourself another one (I found a locked office, received permission from the building owner to install my own lock). When will you leave here? When will the software robots be ready? You’re waiting for you in Moscow. It's a pity that you don't have bonuses - you shouldn't deprive yourselves. You should feel guilty leaving your job. I resign: Maybe we’ll raise your salary and you’ll stay? They said: No, that’s too much.
- And at some point they tell me: know how to say "no." You laugh? You contradict yourself, Mr. Director. You're holding people back and waiting for them to bring their best version of themselves tomorrow when they leave the office. :man_facepalming:
So no. **The habit of causing chaos at home is due to your various work matters, not the other way around.**
By the way, I recommend the series “Splitting” (about splitting consciousness into a working and non-working part).