Even Bounceback Gets the Blues
I'm getting a lot better about factoring various client-generated timesucks into my job estimating, and I'm getting pretty good about bouncing stuff back to clients when things need their attention rather than just doing them myself. I am learning though that even the bouncing back is a timesuck.
I've spent about 4 hours in the last few days carefully crafting emails to a client letting them know what thie issues are that require their attention while being very careful to word things such that they don't think I'm being impatient, frustrated or snarky. This attention to minutiae and my efforts to be careful about the feelings of the people who receive these emails requires a great deal of time.
More time, in fact, than simply doing the work myself would take.
My belief is that it's worthwhile to maintain the boundary, and that I'll a) get faster at writing such emails and b) remember to factor some time in for things like that.
I've spent about 4 hours in the last few days carefully crafting emails to a client letting them know what thie issues are that require their attention while being very careful to word things such that they don't think I'm being impatient, frustrated or snarky. This attention to minutiae and my efforts to be careful about the feelings of the people who receive these emails requires a great deal of time.
More time, in fact, than simply doing the work myself would take.
My belief is that it's worthwhile to maintain the boundary, and that I'll a) get faster at writing such emails and b) remember to factor some time in for things like that.