Before Getting a Haircut, Ask Yourself Why?

Today before lunch a co-worker came by and asked if I could help them. I'm the type that usually doesn't mind this sort of interruption, unless I'm under a deadline. There being no deadline, I willingly followed them to their desk.

This person had copied something I'd done and tried to apply it for their project. This was part of the purpose of the item I'd created. A good comparison would be creating a template for others to use. The problem was the functionality wasn't working for them.

I'd spent a serious amount of time and energy getting it to work. Others have used the template since and all worked for them. So after checking for the obvious mistakes, like a number left off or a syntax typo, I realized this was going to take more effort.

Having to rework something you've completed deflates one's morale.

So I told the person I'd look into after lunch. Back at my desk I started to feel dejected. I finished up a few things and went out and got in my car. I drove about 15 min. to the strip mall where I get my hair cut. I parked in the usual lot and just sat there with the windows down.

I looked in the rear view mirror and kinda moved my hair around. I wasn't so sure I really wanted a hair cut. I thought I needed a hair cut. But did I really want one? In fact, did I really want to be at this strip mall? If not, then, "Why am I here?"

Why am I here?! You know I worked hard on that project. It was something I was into at the time. I had tried a couple approaches before I came up with that solution. It caused some stress with time constraints and managing peoples expectations and other demands. From the start I'd set out to make something that would be easy for others to use. Now so and so comes around and "can't get it to work."

I realize my resentment is rooted in the many minor distractions that have come up at work lately. This being one of them. Still, I want to do more that revisit the past on a weekly basis. Have you ever had to fix something that wasn't broke?