I spent about an hour yesterday planning the coming week.
It's not that there's anything so complicated or difficult happening, it's just that there are lots of options, and I want to minimise the amount of to-and-fro-ing. In the end, being me, I used a spreadsheet... Karen asked me if there would be a market for a piece of software to do this kind of planning -- I'm sure she wouldn't be taking the Mickey. I suspect maybe ILOG make something that could be used to programme it, I'm not sure. But I wonder whether other people have these kinds of tasks and approach them like this?
It's not that big a deal, and there are lots of solutions that WOULD work, so I could just do something randomly ... but it's annoying to suddenly realise there would have been a much easier way, or to get somewhere and not have the right stuff with me!
- On Thursday, I have to attend a meeting in central London in the afternoon. I could go to London by train in the morning and work in our office there; or drive to our office in Leatherhead, and get the train in from there for the meeting. After the meeting, I'll be going back to New Malden for the evening. Depending how I got to the meeting, I either will or will not have the car with me in New Malden.
- On one of Friday Monday or Tuesday, I'll need to work from home, as I need to get a blood test done, and also have a repair man round to look at the washing machine. Both of these things are (slightly) the sooner the better, but that's not critical.
- On Friday, I'll be going to a social in the evening in central London. I won't be able to drive after it. I could get the train home afterwards to Winchester, or to New Malden.
- On Saturday I need to be at home during the day to do housework and shopping, but attending a dinner in the evening in central London (I know, busy life) and as before, need to get there by train, either directly from Winchester, or from New Malden after driving there, and go back to either place afterwards, but it makes more sense to end up in NM because....
- Sunday I want to spend in New Malden. It'd be good if the car was there too, but not essential. I could do all the above travelling by train.
- On Monday evening, I have a gym induction session booked in New Malden -- but I can always reschedule it, so that's not important.
- On Tuesday, I have choir after work in Winchester, so unless that's the day I'm working from home, I need to have the car at work with me in Leatherhead to get back in time. On other days, I can travel by train between work and Winchester, or work and New Malden. Generally I prefer to minimise the driving, where convenient. However that conflicts with the next point....
- I prefer not to have to take "luggage" with me to the business meeting on Thursday or the dinner on Saturday. For the social on Friday, it's not such an issue, as it's pretty casual, and a holdall there would be fine. "Luggage" also includes my laptop, which I need to have with me at work, and when working at home. For example, if I stopped on Thursday night in New Malden, after going to my business meeting by train, I'd be arriving at the client's for a meeting carrying a bag for my clothes for the "social" and my laptop rucksack, neither of which I really want with me.
- Luggage also sometimes has to include running kit, as there is an exercise schedule to be observed. I can run wherever I am, and I now have running shoes and towels stashed everywhere except our central London office, but I need to make sure I have shorts and running shirts with me on the right days.
- Really, the optimal plan would take account of the weather forecast, as it's not ideal to walk to/from the station in NM, Leatherhead, or Winchester, in pouring rain, with luggage. However, NO, I did not factor the weather forecast into the spreadsheet.
