Cyril Northcote Parkinson. Not heard of him? Understandable, as it was nearly 70 years ago when he proposed the theory that work expands to fill the time available. This subsequently became known as Parkinson’s Law. Initially, his theory was concerned with efficient use of time which then evolved to focus on the inefficiencies of bureaucracy – more of that in Part Two next month.
Completing assignments during my degree course always came down to the wire. Even on the few occasions where I would shock both myself and my peers by making an early start on things, productivity fell off a cliff and with it so did enthusiasm for the task.
Although started in haste, not one of those assignments were handed in early. More typically, my modus operandi of trying not to let my education get in the way of socialising would see me finally galvanised in to action the evening before the 9am deadline. Students-I cannot endorse this attitude as results were at best ‘mixed’.
This was all on a personal level, in that if I did not perform then I did not get the grades – no real harm done. Now, however, with family and farm dependant on my efforts, attitudes are far less cavalier. And so it should be, deadlines are hitting us hard in the face every day in agriculture, from hungry livestock to ripe crops all demanding our attention. Nature won’t wait. During busy periods tasks often have to be begrudgingly done to a’that’ll do’ standard.
One such example of this is my hastily concocted wrap carrier. Faced with a loader tractor trying to bleed to death and my right-hand wrapper man getting ready for his on-farm wedding (how dare he?), I suddenly needed a method of carrying some more wrap on the Hurlimann’s front links.
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