Of all the things I do in my day job, the paperwork is my least favourite, well more than that, I absolutely hate it! It’s boring and uninteresting, but I do appreciate the end of the day once it is done. While actually doing the paperwork, I find my mind wondering to all the things I would prefer to be doing. Let’s have a little fun and find 21 things I would prefer to do than paperwork, some of them might surprise you.
21 Things Better Than Paperwork!
- Reading a good book, not something I get to do real often, but when I do, I am happy to devour one in a day. I have recently finished A Mother’s Story by Rosie Batty
- Going to the movies with The Builder. Again not something I get to do real often, but do love Gold Class with a glass of wine, and a great movie. It’s a simple luxury for us.
- Walking around the block. Since my heart issues began, I haven’t been able to exercise, just recently though, I have begun walking around the block to get my strength up, and clear my head a little. Great for a little stress relief.
- Watering the garden. This is guaranteed to bust stress for me. Not sure if it is because of the connection to nature that I often miss by working inside, but this simple act, especially when coupled with a glass of wine at the end of the day, is one of my favourite things to do.
- Burpees! Anyone that knows me would know how much I hate burpees, but I promise, I prefer to do burpees than paperwork, such is my hate for paperwork.
- Cleaning the house. Ok, now I know this one will have you all rolling your eyes, but I truly love a clean and tidy home. The only way to achieve this is by cleaning the house, in doing so I have found I actually love cleaning the house. ?
- Having my nails done. There are 2 things I make sure I do for myself and have done for as long as I can remember. Having my nails done is one of them. Getting my nails done started 14 years ago when my nails became super weak while preparing webster packs (medication packs) in pharmacy, and I’ve been having it done ever since.
- Picking up the dog crap in the yard. Yep, totally better than the paperwork!
- Flick through a home magazine. I have an obsession with home magazines, I LOVE them, all of them. I have hundreds in my home and even more in the storage shed.
- Cleaning out the back of the ute or the tools trailer. Mmh hmm, something about organising that space, gets me more excited than the dreaded paperwork.
- Sorting nails and screws. Sometimes when The Builder has been on the tools and has been a little rushed, he will have a mess of nails and screws that need to be sorted. This is a little like therapy for me ?
- Site visits. I love site visits, seeing the dreams of our clients come to life. Checking in with the team to ensure everything is going to plan, it is the most exciting part of my job.
- Shopping. I am not a big shopper, really only having a shopping day a couple of times a years, but when I do, I really enjoy it. Better than paperwork!
- Making school lunches. This is a big statement! I hate making school lunches only second to doing the paperwork. That said, it’s still ahead of paperwork, so deserves a mention.
- Catching up with friends for a coffee…..No brainer!
- Trawling the internet. Oh my what an easy way to loose a few hours. There is so much to see!
- Cuddling my cats and dogs. Oh they bring me such joy, and a little cuddle from any of them can ease all my stress in minutes.
- Sampling items on the drinks trolley. Perhaps this is why we have a home office? Gives me the opportunity to pop by the trolley and give it a little nudge, at least it makes the paperwork a little more interesting!
- Counting the floor boards in the hall way. Enough said.
- Watching the grass grow, or the ants crawl through the grass.
- Blogging, I could spend all day every day writing on my blog. I love my little space on the internet, my home away from home. Thank you for being here and for indulging my little rant against paperwork. ?
What do you dislike doing the most? Are you a fan of paperwork? Care to add to my list with one of your own?
Nicole xxx
Linking up with Kylie Purtell for #IBOT
Burpees are my nemesis. If you hate them as much as me, then I have a good idea how much you must loathe paperwork In fact, my list could be “21 things better than burpees!”! Baking a cake always makes me happy. I’d much rather bake a cake (and share it, and eat it) than do paperwork or burpees!
I totally hate them as much as you! They make me feel like I am dying!! I’ll be happy to share a cake with you any day xx
Haha my day job THRIVES on paperwork….me less so ? I wonder if a drinks trolley in an open plan office is a good idea ?
I used to think it was ok, but after so much of it, I loathe it!! I really want to put a drinks trolley in your office and come watch. We have recently gotten hooked on the show Mad Men, they do an awful lot of drinking in that office!
I’m one of those weird people who enjoy paperwork! I like to get everything in order, and get a little bit excited when things add up correctly… sad I know!! ?
Visiting from #teamIBOT today x
You really need to start visiting me……weekly! I am sure we could work out a trade ? xx
Oh wow…very timely. I’ve just had some surgery and a hospital stay so am filling in claim forms (though the amount I get back is so minimal I don’t know why I’m bothering!) and I’m in the midst of selling my place and buying another so the paperwork is scary!
I love that we can do things electronically but I was recouperating at my mothers when my apartment sale went through so had to photocopy and sign and scan about 30 individual pages!
Hope you are recovering well Deborah. Surgery is never fun! Paperwork for house buying and selling is huge!! I do hope it goes smoothly for you.xx
You are more than welcome to come and clean my house next time you want to get out of cleaning the house. ?
Ha ha, DONE! xx
Burn it all! Actually when I need to get paperwork done and just grit my teeth and get on with it, it never takes as long as I expect and the sense of achievement is good. And then there’s no paperwork! But truly I do agree with almost everything to you… not the burpees though!
You are right, it rarely takes as long as you think it will, and needs to be done. But I do prefer your first thought, burn it all!!
A clean tidy house. I love a clean tidy house but it seems that the four other people I live with don’t find this as much of a priority as I do. I am learning to let go some of my standards! I hate paperwork but it seems that it is a necessary evil of working.
I hope you get through your paperwork. I am one for getting the crap done and dusted and out of the way so that I can kick back and read or knit and not feel guilty because I have done the crappy stuff.
xo
Thank you lovely, it sure is a necessary evil! I do like once it is all said and done, but getting stuck in the trenches of it is a bit yuck! Hope you are feeling better xx
I hear you Nicole. It’s amazing how much housework and online shopping gets done when I have paperwork to do. I haven’t done burpies to avoid it yet though. I definitely hate them more!
I haven’t been an online shopper until recently, something the credit card was grateful for, now not so much ?
Paperwork was so much of my life as a school principal and I was a boss before emails. Everything came as a letter or a fax.The rule (I never really followed it) was touch the paper once. In other words, read the damn thing, action it (bin anyone??), file, act blah blah. However, I also understood that when I might need to check something later or to make sure I was doing what I was asked, I HAD to be on top of the paperwork. Only I could do it as well. Sigh.
It’s much the same here, as much as I dislike it, it has to be done, and we have to be on top of it at all times. Perhaps that is where my dislike came from. ?
Oh yes! I hate paperwork. Give me burpees any day (and I despise burpees). I’ve been putting off my filing for too long now. It is diarised for tomorrow and I have three podcast episodes lined up to get me through. Wish me luck!
How did you go with that filing? What about your podcasts? I am not sure I could get through that in a day. xx
I actually love paperwork more than burpees. Sad I know. But I am a bit sad in that love to organise kind of way, even paying bills I feel a sense of finalisation. But again, I am sad and enjoy laminating and filing. Visiting from IBOT.
Fair point! I also love organising, and used to like the paperwork, but now that I have been doing it for so many years, I can nearly say I hate it! Does feel great once it’s done though.
I don’t mind a bit of paperwork but when I started reading your list I was nodding my head and agreeing that yes, I would rather shop, or go to a movie, or trawl the internet or read. Not so sure about counting the floor board. That really tells us how much you dislike the paperwork! Ha! x
? I really, really do ?
Bahahahaha! I am with you on most of these. I am unsure on the burpee front though… the feeling of completion at the end of all the paperwork would be nicer than those burpees.
Hmmm, close, but the feeling of success when completing the burpees wins out each time ?
What a super fun list this is. Should I send this to my accountant to explain why I am always late with handing in my paperwork to her?? : )
Hahaha! Love that idea Annette, I might try the same ?
You must really hate paperwork if you prefer burpees! My muscles are aching just thinking about them lol!
Nailed it! I despise them, but not as much as paperwork! ?
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