I don't really have time for all this.

Time: master or servant?

Anniversaries? .....Meaningful milestones? or just a function of the Gregorian calendar which itself approximates a solar year.

Do we get much too hung up about calendars - do anniversaries mean that much? For most people they are a chilling reminder of the relentless progress of time marked by cakes and cards. For the finance team and business in general, time is the beat that makes us segment activity into quarters and years and sometimes act irrationally to meet targets or budgets. Even putting speed before value.

Most of our working lives are governed by the silent metronome that dictates budget and reporting processes, bonus routines, payment cycles, invoicing processes, systems regulation, statutory deadlines, reporting cycles . Time provides the column headings in our planning spreadsheets and provides the starting-point for much of our analytics. Where would seasonality or comparatives live as concepts without time.

Today, calendars drive our business activity to act before deadlines or to achieve targets; even giving away value to hit time-based targets (completely irrationally). Tax years ensure that we manage our affairs to minimise the tax payable in any particular year. Appraisal ("the dreaded") processes are driven by the incessant beat of HR's drum, financial calendars and incentive payment payroll processing dates.

Performance is measured against budgets and targets and comparatives - we rely on these reassurances of regularity - even when the pitch on which we play doesn't always conform to the smooth continuum of time itself (Albert Einstein might disagree that the passage of time is perceived by all as smooth but CFOs don't subscribe to this concept ..... of course)

The list is endless and we are all driven, whether we like it or not, by the speed that the earth rotates around the sun. When it's put like that it sounds more than a little weird. Right?

So, ask yourself the question. Am I doing the right thing, or am I driven to action because of the application of deadlines and demands driven by the Calendar. Sometimes the right answer might be to ignore time and the tyranny of urgency and simply plan and prioritise what is best for you, your team or your business.

Think about it.... but don't take too long. We don't have all day you know.

This blog was triggered by the realisation that it's one year since I started this series of random thought sharing.... Blogging Hell! I'm one year in.

Frankly I had no clue when I started this whole blog thing if I had much to say or even if anyone was interested. Twelve months in and I have just posted my 52nd blog. Not so shabby from a tubby old balding bloke.

Is anyone interested? Who cares.

Along the way I have shared some experiences , thoughts, tips and ideas..... or as some people may say "the usual load of irrelevant old bollocks" ... and no, I don't mind the occasional profanity. Either to make a point or just to shock people into staying awake.

So I will just continue. Without the excitement or anxiety about whether I get to the next anniversary or even if there's a next blog-post.

If you have any thoughts on what, if anything, I might shine a light on, please let me know. I reserve the right to ignore suggestions that fall under the headings of "plain boring" as well as "bat-shit crazy" or indeed, "physically impossible" because .....

I don't really have time for all this.