This weekend, while preparing our taxes, my husband mentioned that he’d been paying a credit card expense. It was a small monthly fee and he’d assumed it was a business expense that I’d mistakenly put on our personal charge card. The unfortunate truth is, it’s not unusual that I make such mistakes.
But I didn’t recognize the vendor. I figured it was some scam and called the number on the statement. But when a very nice man, Roderick, explained that he had email verification that I joined their “discount club”, I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.
Apparently, one year ago, I ordered shoes at shoebuy.com and for free shipping, I signed up to join this “discount” club. I must have been taken in by the note that said that the first 30 days were free — and then they charge you. I remember buying the shoes — I desperately needed winter boots and I was fitting this in between client calls -but the discount club offer is a blank in my mind. Roderick said that they sent the confirming information –with the form that I wanted to end the relationship — to my home address. But I obviously missed all that.
So I spent $100 for something I didn’t want, need or use. Trying to save money, I spent more. I’d say this is an example of “Productivity is an Action – Not a Solution” .
Does this happen to you? Sure, I could tell myself to read the fine print more carefully. But there’s a bigger lesson for me. Be wary when you’re skipping steps, saving money or cutting corners. Even if sometimes it works , too often it doesn’t.
The ease of “online” creates a tendency to expect more from ourselves. And when you live with illness, that’s a slippery slope because we’re always looking for shortcuts. But –and this is reminder to myself – that’s not the same as being efficient! Whether you work for yourself or for others, keep your eye on how you can do the task well rather than trying to do it fast. That’s got to be your trump card.
But, what do you do when your supervisor says quantity tops quality? Well, look at what happened to Toyota. When you live with illness, you, too, can easily fall into the “recall” category. Your best chance is to work on quality and leave quantity to others.
On another note, here’s your chance to be part of a significant study on chronic illness and work. Alyssa(who is conducting this) contacted me a year ago about this study and now she’s ready to go:
I am a young woman living with MS, and I am also a PhD student doing my dissertation on chronic illness stigma in the workplace. I am looking for people who have chronic illness(es) and work to take an online survey. It will take about 20 minutes of your time, and in return you will be entered in a drawing to win one of 10 online gift cards to Amazon.
The survey is completely anonymous and the study has been approved by my University’s IRB (a board of professionals who review studies to make sure they are safe for participants).
Please click on this link for more information and to participate:
Jason David Reid says
I learned swiftly when I became a manager that doing things ‘quickly’ always took twice as long or ended up costing twice as much as doing things properly.
I had never connected that tendency to my chronic illness, but I think you may be right about always wanting to find a shortcut – and also expecting too much of ourselves in this fast-paced digital world.
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Homer Ciraolo says
I bookmarked this page earlier and just came back to it … well put and I will definately be sending this on once I get to my home PC …