Quality Quickies

One habit I've picked up recently is: every time I've been doing something that gives me new experiences, I make a list of issues to watch out for. That way, the next time I hit that situation I can do a better job.

I'm going to start publishing some of my collection under the title Quality Quickies. I'm aware that that could be hideously misinterpreted - it's all part of a cunning plan to push up my blog's hitcount >:)

The following nuggets were collected the first time I attempted this approach, halfway through a summer internship, after a particularly, um, eventful day. Enjoy.

• Keep an eye out for things that are more likely than usual to go wrong. For example, if a 2 hour train journey took you four hours yesterday night due to buggered tracks, expect the same train journey to take some time today too.
  
• If your boss wants you to keep in touch in any way, do not leave the building without a working, powered, paid-up mobile.
  
• Best to get a signature for deliveries unless otherwise specified.
  
• If you find that you're wasting work time online, kill your browser. No excuses.
  
• Make sure you know where the project you're working on is supposed to be going, that way you can more effectively help it get there.
  
• When working on computer-killing programs, make sure you have something else to do before running the damn thing.
  
• Don't drink more than (at absolute most) two pints the night before you have to be in work. And don't mix wine and beer - they're not exaggerating about the effects of that.