Relief

I am so relieved - a big project that was due at work is finally completed. My only disappointment was that I didn't complete it by the deadline date. I am such a perfectionist at work that I have been having anxiety attacks for the past month because my project wasn't done. The thing is, too, it wasn't my fault it wasn't done. Everyone at work thinks I am the go to person, and no one would leave me alone to do what I needed to. I thought I did everything to tell people, "hey, just to let you know, I'm tied up with an important project, please take messages for me" - but calls still came through, and people still showed up in my office. So how do I prevent this from happening again? I thought I did everything - told my Chief I had to finish it and asked for permission to deny calls, and ignore people, let everyone know that I was on a time crunch and needed to devote my time to my project, told them to take messages, and let me be for a few days. Yeah, nope, that didn't happen - phone calls came through, and people invaded my office. So, my project was 30 days late - I'm so ashamed, because that has never happened before, but I can't help but think if people had actually let me concentrate on it I would have been done on time. It's like my coworkers don't think what I do is important, it's all about them.

So my next step is to be more assertive when I have a deadline and not let them walk all over me. I have the power in my position, I just need to use it. I need not to be to go to person - I have way to much work to do to do everyone else's. But I feel like because the Chief has an open door policy, I need to have one also, since I am his administrative assistant. And honestly, I like helping people, and I don't mind doing it - but not when I have a deadline, I need something that will let them know that I need them to leave me alone. Any ideas?

The good news is the project is done, and it's not due again until July. Hopefully, this time I can keep on top of it, and not have a time crunch at the deadline. I'm certainly going to try. Maybe I just need to go run - now I need to find the time.