We all like to feel we are productive at work, but have you ever had days like this? 

Man, this is going to be a productive day, I thought as I headed to my office. I open the blinds to let in the morning sun, and through the window I see the empty trash can out by the road. I need to wheel that thing in. 

As I start for the can, I pass my car and remember that I left my cell phone in the front seat when I got home last night. Leaning into the car, I spied my travel log. What is today? Uh-oh, I’m a couple days late turning in my mileage, which I’ve been trying to get done on a more regular basis. I better do that right now or I’ll get busy and forget.  

I’ll just grab a glass of ice tea on the way. The ice cubes from the refrigerator dispenser miss the glass, so I pick up the big chunks and look for something to wipe up the rest. There is only one paper towel left on the roll and I can’t seem to find any more. I open a drawer, pull out a piece of scratch paper and a pen and write “paper towels”. That will be the start of a grocery list. 

There’s the phone ringing. Hello? It’s Ed. I’ve been here all morning. Tried to call my cell phone? Yea, sorry, I left it in the car. I need to go back out there and get it. As we visit, I boot up my computer and hit Send/Receive to check my email.  

Seventeen, that’s not bad. Ed’s talking, but I see a sale manager needs an urgent quote on a print sale catalog…must have it by noon. I can do that but it will be tight. “Ed, let me get back to you on that.”  What did I do with that tea? Email from Connie, she’s missing a photograph and Erin needs that logo from last year’s catalog. I thought I’d sent that already. I drag out my CD archives, looking for Connie’s picture, but these CD’s are somehow out of order and one’s missing. I think I had it downstairs a couple days ago, so I go see if I can find it. 

There’s that tea. Maybe I better call that sale manager rather than email him, now that it’s past noon. Let’s see, his phone number is in my cell phone, what did I do with my cell phone? Well, I’ll just look it up in this livestock publication. Well look at that, I forgot that Nebraska outfit’s sale was coming up so quick. They need to get a banner ad out this week. I’ll just give Scott a call to remind him. He remembered…he always does. He’s very organized, maybe too much. Sometimes you spend all your time getting organized and you can’t get anything accomplished. Now, where did I put that tea? 

There’s the phone. Oh, Hi Erin…logo? I thought I sent that to you already? No, I haven’t seen the copy of that post card, but the mail has run by now so I bet it’s out there. I’ll go check the mailbox. Man, what a beautiful afternoon. I need to wheel this empty trash can in. Is that my wife coming home from work? I didn’t realize it was that late in the day.  

“What do you mean…am I just now bringing in the trash can? Hey, I’ve had very busy day, OK. In fact, I’ve been swamped. You called earlier? Oh…I think I left my cell phone in the car.” 

 -Steve