Hi Deanna, thank you so much for reading. Sorry to hear you're also in this camp -- it's a real drag, isn't it? I never quite managed to get these gatherings up and running, though there was some interest. I think what happened was, I finished my immediate stack of admin, and now I'm hiding away from admin until I really can't hide anymore. Not a good solution! I will get back to thinking about how to make these meetings work. I'll be in touch.
HI Ellie, a thoughtful and intelligent piece, as always! Not only bureaucracy but technology eats away my time and sucks my soul dry. I just spent the better part of 3 days on 'chats' because my phone/broadband fees went up by 120% (!!!) after coming to the end of a contract. They force us to attend to this deeply meaningless activity to continue to get basic support--it is senseless. So I am very pleased to see you name it and offer ways to support the weary and depleted. For me, it would be less helpful to meet and talk about it, and maybe more helpful if folk shared helpful hints--how to do certain things, maybe kind people out there who can be recommended to help one...
Hi Laura, thank you for this, and sorry that you're caught in the jaws of this monster as well. The Zooms aren't designed for meeting to talk about it but for meeting to DO it -- i.e. strength in numbers as we get down to the work of tackling our admin. We'll do it on Zoom with cameras on for solidarity but volume off. Let me know if that sounds good to you -- there's a handful of people interested so far. And either way, as we meet, I will certainly pass along any practical advice I come across.
Ah--interesting. Do you mean that we all agree to sit down at the same time whilst individually doing our admin? (Like the Shut Up and Write activity). Yeah, might be interested--let me know when it's on. :-)
Just discovered you & your Substack. I am very much in the phobic boat. Are these gatherings afloat?
Hi Deanna, thank you so much for reading. Sorry to hear you're also in this camp -- it's a real drag, isn't it? I never quite managed to get these gatherings up and running, though there was some interest. I think what happened was, I finished my immediate stack of admin, and now I'm hiding away from admin until I really can't hide anymore. Not a good solution! I will get back to thinking about how to make these meetings work. I'll be in touch.
HI Ellie, a thoughtful and intelligent piece, as always! Not only bureaucracy but technology eats away my time and sucks my soul dry. I just spent the better part of 3 days on 'chats' because my phone/broadband fees went up by 120% (!!!) after coming to the end of a contract. They force us to attend to this deeply meaningless activity to continue to get basic support--it is senseless. So I am very pleased to see you name it and offer ways to support the weary and depleted. For me, it would be less helpful to meet and talk about it, and maybe more helpful if folk shared helpful hints--how to do certain things, maybe kind people out there who can be recommended to help one...
Hi Laura, thank you for this, and sorry that you're caught in the jaws of this monster as well. The Zooms aren't designed for meeting to talk about it but for meeting to DO it -- i.e. strength in numbers as we get down to the work of tackling our admin. We'll do it on Zoom with cameras on for solidarity but volume off. Let me know if that sounds good to you -- there's a handful of people interested so far. And either way, as we meet, I will certainly pass along any practical advice I come across.
Ah--interesting. Do you mean that we all agree to sit down at the same time whilst individually doing our admin? (Like the Shut Up and Write activity). Yeah, might be interested--let me know when it's on. :-)
100% would be interested. I have formphobia and it is a terrible drag.
Hooray! I will loop you in. I'm with you on the formphobia. Ugh.