Night owls on the Prowl

Again it is midnight and I am sitting supporting one of my client’s systems, something broke and Mr. Fix-It is on place in front of the computer screen and sorting the issue out. Over the years I have done more support than development, funny how it goes, we end up doing more of what we don’t like compared to what we love and desire.

I have spent some time these last couple of months looking at how I do business, what my model is and what can be improved. The main issue is that I am a one-man show, and that is in general never a great idea in the IT industry. You end up doing everything from highly motivating and complex tasks, to writing procedures on how to use a software tool.

We all have this issue one time or another, we try to do everything, we say yes to all requests coming our way, we know we can do it best and trust no one else, and the list goes on and on and on. And by the way so does your hours and your stress and your backlog of tasks. Personally I have come to the end of the road, I have decided that I will hire an assistant, train this person in my field, and reduce my annoying tasks.

Since I am a contractor/consultant/one man show I am paid by the hour I work, so I don’t mind working through the night, over weekends, and in holidays. Well I used to not mind, now I am starting to want a social life, spending time with the kids and grandkids. Taking up fishing again…

But selling the idea of having an assistant isn’t always easy; many customers are worried about the quality of work from the new resource. But in the end it boils down to more work done, reduced costs, and for me the most important thing starting to get a life again……………watch this space it is for a recovering work-o-holic….