I get the jitters whenever church camp draws near.
Never mind the three days of leave I have to take.
The more terrifying thing is the busyness that builds up the few days before and after camp.
A few days before
- Trying to finish every single piece of work that nobody will be able to do in my absence. E.g. submissions for a case I handled, legal opinions for files under my care, status updates to clients and non-clients for files under my care, call clients for data to complete affidavits / witness statements / pleadings. (this means if I have until Tuesday to do it, I now only have until Saturday if I have internet to email it to someone and Friday if I have to finish it in the office)
- Trying to finish writing instructions for work that other people may be able to complete for me in my absence. E.g. standard letters to clients, follow up with clients and non-clients on necessary but non-urgent matters.
- Trying to finish telling everybody who might contact me in my absence that I will be away.
- This is the worst: Trying to draft clear and unambiguous instructions for work that other people MUST complete for me in my absence. E.g. file the submissions / Bundle of Authorities that I stayed up all night doing, put together an affidavit complete with its exhibits and file, when to expect a document from court / client, what to do upon receiving it, who to courier it to, what address, who to call on Mon/Tues/Wed, when to forward calls to me, things to do so that when I'm back, I am able to do some other thing that is contingent on the first thing being done.
A few days after
- Trying to catch up with every single piece of work that landed itself on my table in my absence. E.g. incoming matters from clients / non-clients, start drafting replies to clients
- Trying to repair every single mess that birthed itself in / because of my absence.
- Trying to review every single piece of work that I instructed someone else to do to make sure nothing has been overlooked / done wrong.
- Trying to immediately go back to completing that submissions / affidavit that is due on Friday because I've lost 4 days at camp, 3 of which were work days .
All that, assuming that I don't catch a cold or fever after travelling.
And even with that cold or fever, work still needs to be done if it was due yesterday.
Oh well.
