November thoughts

This is the third November since I started with my job in '10, so I'm pretty much in the know of what to expect of November. There'll be many events and activities going on in November, and you'll be given tasks to do to help with all of them. You'll be busy. Tasks on top of tasks. Major and minor ones. You gotta know how to manage time. Can't panic. Be organised.

In my first year, I remember having no time at all doing everything else when I only devoted my time on one task. As a result, I had to rush through the other stuff like a maniac, cursing anything curse-able like it was their fault I ran out of time. It was terrible. And then in December, I had to work again - hectic hours almost every day. Good thing I had to only work half days. Not good. Barely made ends meet. Job - terribly done.

In my second year, I began to be able to do many tasks, but still some minor tasks (you know, postponed ones) got ignored. I managed to finish tasks merely before deadlines, but I forgot about other tasks that I had put aside. Grrreeattt. Just great.

In my third year, I have slowly begun to understand what was important but didn't look like it mattered. I began to jot down things that matter only at a later time. I bought a book dedicated especially for things to do. And when I'm done with them, I'll just tick the boxes. Believe me, this book has made my life wayyyy easier. All little things that almost don't matter, I just put them on the to-do book. So that in my spare time, as I flick through the pages, I'll remember them and do them right away.

Having all the things on the list done and ticked is just an unexplainable achievement and pleasure to me. I feel successful!

So what I've learned in my third year :

• Be organised
• Jot everything down
• Don't whine. (of course~)

Being organised includes a lot of things. For one, always tidy up your work desk. Throw away things that you don't need anymore. This includes exercise papers, memos, etc. And - never keep extra papers. Like for instance, you copy more than needed test papers and naturally you have extras. In my previous years, I'll keep them until I create an unnecessary pile. I hate how it takes up so much space. So sometimes every once in a while, perhaps every three months or less, I do a little spring cleaning.

• Only make copies according to the number of students you have. If you have 39 students, make copies for 39 students. Don't round up and make it an even 40.
• DO NOT HOARD. Throw, just throw away.
• Divide your papers into categories. Being in this job surrounds you with lots of different kinds of papers. Memos, official letters, personal ones, student-related papers, etc etc. Don't stack them up in one pile. You'll be older way more quickly! (In other words, you get stressed out, depressed, unhappy, and without realising it you've gotten older quicker.) Sort sort sort!

I made this entry like, two weeks ago and now I'm almost done with November! One more big event to go, and I'm done! Insya Allah. It's been a hectic month, as per anticipated, but I managed to survive through it - finished my school-related work way before the hectic-ness began. So it was all good. I haven't had my table for more than a month now so it is pretty hard to do work at my place. But still, Alhamdulillah, I managed. No stress.

Well, half-lie. There was tension built up here and there, and what disappointed me about it was that it didn't come from me. Other people kept complaining. Why - WHY OH WHY - ruin people's mood by sharing your negative vibes like that? I mean, I've tried to be positive and it was working, but other people had to be cranky about everything. Go home! Don't work. Be a housewife. Atupun kalau keraja atu inda merungut jua. Mun housewife pun merungut. Kawintah sama raja.

Be thankful, please? Even a tiny bit. Please??

So work is fun, if you set your mind like that. Except for people who ruin your mood like this, everything is just great! Lillahi ta'ala. =)

Alhamdulillah.

Semoga urusan ketani selalu saja dipermudahkan oleh Allah SWT. Amin.