motd

In Which Rob Takes a Break

by Rob Kolstad
<kolstad@usenix.org>

Dr. Rob Kolstad works as a program manager organizing computer security conferences. Longtime editor of ;login:, he is also head coach of the USENIX-sponsored USA Computing Olympiad.

In my avocations (and vocation), I often ask people if they can assist with some task or if they wish to exploit some opportunity. It is not unusual for them to say, "Oh no, there's just not enough time for me to do that."

Of course, except during the edge conditions of birth and death, we are all allocated a uniform 168 hours/week. How we spend those hours is a matter of priorities. The message-behind-the-message is "That idea/task is just not high enough on my priority list." That's a fine message! Taking on too much is a stressful thing that is not normally a healthy activity in the long run.

I try to do my share of responsibility-accepting, what with the USA Computing Olympiad and the regional science fair (not to mention USENIX). Lately, I've been asking myself to complete various tasks around the house like: complete the remote control system for the new house, clean up the photo darkroom, finish the fancy little digital mixers for the in-house sound system, construct a video switcher interface, plant a garden, trim some trees over at the edge of the lawn, test some new grass seeds to see if they'll grow at this elevation, fancy up the game-show hardware and software, and so on. All these projects are running one to two years late!

Now, if I think it's important enough to ask myself to do something, you'd think such tasks would be important enough for me to accept! And I really think they really are important. I just don't have the time (oops!).

Obviously, making that same excuse exposes a priority issue. So I checked my priorities.

I spend a lot of time working.

If I could just eliminate working, I'd have all sorts of extra time to do those (other) important tasks. But there's the money problem.

So, I scrimped and saved last year and have squirreled away enough cash that I can take 6­12 months off from work so I can finish the house projects and others to get my life in order. I've even taken up swimming and racketball again to fix my personal health (vs. my schedule health).

By the time you read this, I should be attacking the backlog to see if spending time at work really was the time sink it appears to be. I've laid in all the tools I think I'll need (including electronics tools, a skid loader, seeds, etc.). It should be an interesting experiment.

I've talked to several people about this idea. Their support has been unanimous, ranging from, "Oh yeah, I do that every seven years," to "Great idea! Why don't I do that, too?"

I don't know if it's a good idea or not. I'll let you know how the experiment goes.