I'm running on nothing but fumes and caffeine, so forgive me if I offer up a brief, incoherent ramble today instead of my usual lengthy, incoherent ramble.
I took a loved one to the ER yesterday. It was packed, and we were stuck in the waiting room triage area until 9 a.m. today when a bed finally opened up. I got about 37 seconds of sleep in an uncomfortable chair, surviving on vending machine snacks and, thankfully, coffee. I was absolutely exhausted by the time I rolled home and logged on to my systems.
Luckily, I only had one virtual meeting, but I still had a few outstanding tasks, deliverables, and workflows open that needed to be progressed.
Now, do I normally recommend working while sleep-deprived, worried, and a bit odorific? I do not. But sometimes stuff just has to get done—regardless of how you are feeling (or smelling).
And this, my friends, is where well-built systems really earn their keep.
Anyone can look like a superstar employee on their BEST day. It's easy to do things the right way when you're firing on all cylinders. That's when workflows might feel superfluous because hoo-boy, YOU ARE AWESOME!
But workflows shouldn't be designed just to get you through your "AWESOME" days. Workflows are there to ensure you still perform up to a certain standard on your WORST days.
Workflows are the guardrails that keep things running smoothly, even when employees are not at their best. A well-built workflow should be constructed so that the path is easy enough to follow on your best day, your first day, or your absolute worst day.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've got one more must-do task on my plate today: a hot shower.
What system is currently saving your sanity - and your work quality - on your worst days?