Today, I’m a flashlight. No, I don’t give off light and have batteries stuffed who-knows-where. I am demonstrating the qualities of a flashlight in the way that I work. It’s actually a simple concept to grasp. A flashlight emits a wide, dim beam that illuminates a large area but doesn’t do much else. A laser is a tightly focused beam that can be used as a signal or a tool for precise work. (By the way, why do we let children have small, handheld devices that can sear their corneas irreparably? Not the best idea for a toy.)
I had to ask myself that question after seeing how my day went. I got to work early because I had a lot of things to take care of. However, instead of getting the things done that I had planned, I did a little of this and a little of that, frittering away my time until I ended up spending most of my day planning to get started on something else. Some others at Jobacle know how that goes.
I think that a lot of us spend our time as flashlights. We are low-intensity, we spread our efforts around, and while we may get some things done, it isn’t the most productive way to spend our time at home or at work.
Then there are those lasers out there. You know who they are, and if you’re one of them, then thanks for taking a moment to focus in on Jobacle.The lasers focus on a topic with pinpoint accuracy and precision.They concentrate on one task until they beat it into submission, and then they move onto the next task.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each type. Flashlights can transfer their efforts from one place to another rather easily, while lasers focus on one area until they are finished completely. However, like in my case, a laser can be more useful when you need to focus on a mission that needs to be completed; in this case, the flashlight isn’t much help.
Think about your work style and the daily activities you perform. Which of the two types would be better suited for you? Which one are you currently? What do you need to do to swap from one to the other?
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