Challenge no.9 - Working 9 till 5

Work a 9 - 5 day with a one hour lunch break and 2 tea breaks.

Set my by friend from secondary school James Easter. I used to sit next to James in maths and english and annoy him by constantly talking and then copying his work. He has done a degree in film and video and is now a primary school teacher. I know that he must be good at this, as he is very patient, or he was with me anyway. He works really hard and is an absoloutely gorgeous person.

James set me this challenge so I could appreciate the final months of academic study and I would hopefully realise how easy being a student is and in true teacher style, so I could get my uni work done. He has basically set me the task of doing my homework.

Seeing as I don't have a real job, I set about completing college work. I didn't like the early start. Even when I had a 'real' job I never had to be in until 10 at the earliest. To make this realistic I got up early to 'get ready for work' and travelled to 5 seconds to my 'workplace'. I sat at the table switched on the laptop and thought how unfair this was, at work no-one starts straight away, you have a chat and a cup of tea and then sort of mess around pretending that you are preparing stuff to do for that day. So I did, I found all my books, checked all my pens worked, checked I had enough paper, took ages to connect to the internet. The general sort of rubbish you don't have to really do, but no-one can say you're procrastinating. Ha.

As I made a list of all the assignments I have to complete for college, I realised just how much I have to do. However, seeing as I am Holly Barrett and I can do anything, I tried to not get over-whelmed straight away. So at about 9.30 I finally started to really work, it was easy. Once I got going I got really stuck into my work, even though it was stuff about the boring Government. Soon enough it was time for my 10.45 tea break. At 11, like a good girl I went straight back to work, I didn't even make excuses such as 'oh there was a huuuge queue for the kettle.'

This Government business was giving me a headache so I decided to do some revision, about local Government - ohhhh, even more exciting! This was harder to focus on and I was watching the clock, which I swear must be broken, I was tempted to visit facebook and ASOS but I refrained, that would be cheating.

When it reached 5 o clock, I bolted out of the dining room and into the living room for a well deserved cup of tea. This challenge was boring, one reason being I did not have 'work colleagues'. However I did manage to finish one whole assignment, meaning for once in my life I won't be sitting up till 4 in the morning frantically typing.

I honestly do believe I will take a more professional approach to my uni work now. Only occasionally mind, I have years and years to be professional and punctual and organised, let me enjoy the perks of being a student.

Holly's guide to slacking...

1. Leave a coat/jacket over the back of your chair, a mug of tea and important but not confidential stuff on your screen and go shopping for 30 minutes, people will think you have just popped to the ladies.

2. Offer to help anyone in a crisis, work or emotional related. You can pretend you are being kind and caring and that you are genuinely worried, but really you're just slacking.

3. Always offer to do tea runs and errands, people will be grateful and you can swan around knowing that you are technically working

4. Don't bother with pulling sickies, when I had a real job I never once had a sick day, so when I really wanted a day off people were happy to arrange cover for me.

5. Don't do half-arsed work. If you're work is consistently brilliant, people will not be as worried as to whether you are slacking or not.

Difficulty rating: Easy, even easier if I had been getting paid
Fun Factor: The feeling at the end is good!

Do this if.... you have a job?

Challenge 9: Completed!

Holly

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