Tell Your Wife’s Friends to Call Back Later

Posted in Goals & Time Management  Print This

At your recommendation, I’m going to start writing about some of my personal routines for getting things done and staying organized, the A.D.D. Way.

Frankly, though, my preference is escaping from situations where I am obligated to remember or do or remember anything in the first place.  Avoiding work is one of the easiest but ne’er well done practices that there is.  Apply it to EVERYTHING.

For example,  I refuse to take messages for someone else when people call my home phone. Here’s how it goes down:

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[Caller]: Hi, is [Alan's Wife] there?

[Alan, feeling foolish for having picked up the phone in the first place]: No, I’m sorry, she isn’t.  She’ll be back in about two hours, though.  You’ll have to call her then.  [subliminal command]

[Caller]: Oh, okay,  Would you just let her know that…

[Alan, moving closer to the receiver to hang up]: You know what? [Questions stop people from talking] I’m not in a position to write that down right now [conjures image of me on the john or getting out of the shower].  I think the best way will be to call her back around [Time 2 Hours from now], okay?

[Caller]: Could you have her…

[Alan]: ZIP IT! [Just kidding, that was a fantasy.  I'd really say...] You know, with my track record, the odds are slim that I’ll remember that someone called, who it was, or what you had to say.  The best way is to call back later, or call back right now and leave a message on the machine.  Oh, hang on… [pretending that something is going on that commands my immediate attention]…oh, I’d better go.  Have a good one!

[Caller]: Oka–

[Alan]: <Click>

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That’s how to do it.  REMOVE yourself from situations where you have to remember things and one-third of your problems will go away.