James Edwards 🥉

Co-signing all of that and I’d add the 90/90 rule for speed: if you haven’t used it in the last 90 days and won’t in the next 90 (true seasonal gear exempt), it goes. Do a “trash-only” pass first & then a “donate-only” pass, before you tackle maybes - quick wins stack up in short sessions. Also set a standing weekly drop-off and put the donate bag straight into your car so it leaves.

Co-sign on time-boxing and I’ve had better luck when I use the same three-beat every time: appreciate, boundary, redirect. For example, “Love catching up - need to get dinner on, so let’s pick this up Saturday,” paired with hand on the doorknob and a step inside as I wave. The consistency teaches the rhythm, so over a couple of weeks they start wrapping themselves without you having to explain.

Look and I've seen this play out a hundred times in IT, where some poor sap thinks a fancy title will fix their career woes, but it usually just leads to more work without the pay bump. You're in a small company with no HR, so your manager's probably juggling a million things and will laugh at the request unless you've got leverage. I tried it once, got the title, but then got buried in responsibilities that burned me out fast. If you must, frame it as 'This will help with external networking and bring in more business,' but don't hold your breath. Expect pushback or empty promises. that's the corporate game for you. Better off updating your LinkedIn on your own terms.

We used to print Gantt charts and tape them to a wall and then slide a ruler down the days. Do that spirit in one page. Show the phases, mark the compliance review, and put two dates in boxes. Ask, 'Smaller two-week release or full six-week release.' Follow with 'Per our discussion, we chose X with target [date].' The paper trail is what saves you when folks forget.

Your manager sounds like they're winging it, probably over their head. Quick tip: send a daily email recapping the new priorities to get written confirmation. Propose a lightweight system like a shared Slack channel for updates only. Cover your bases, because if things go south, you'll have proof.

Explain it as a period of personal development where you gained valuable life skills and experiences.

Repeat their name, then jot it in Notes before memory crashes. For what it's worth, taking a few minutes to practice this in a calm setting usually helps it stick.