Executive stress: Finance and Budgeting: E-book serial episode 154

He woke, fully alert, but really he just didn't want to get out of bed, how he would have loved to lie there all morning,completely alone, just relaxing and enjoying his own company. When did he have time to relax, never really, there was constant pressure on him, both at work and at home and as for golf, that was hardly relaxing, it was so competitive especially as Sir Hugh was always anxious to know how the golf was going, no fun at all really.

Angrily he threw back his covers and put his feet to the floor, the bed had not even been made properly, he hated all that sort of stuff, and his bathroom needed cleaning, no use asking Rachel, she was not allowed up here. He cursed. Sooner or later he was going to have to get a grip on things but not yet, not now, and who knows when.

Even his breakfast annoyed him, he was fed up with getting his own and eating it on his own, so he finished it off quickly just leaving his dirty dishes where they lay.

Upstairs once more he showered and made sure he was well groomed for the day, then left hurriedly, wet towels and untidy sheets abandoned, closing the door behind him when he reached the bottom of the stairs, it was his domain and who cared whether it was tidy or not, certainly not he.

He slid behind the wheel of his BMW cursing the other cars in the garage, good God, how many cars did any family need and with only his being used at the moment.

He drove, grumbling away as he went until he arrived on schedule at work, well before anyone else. There he was met with a pile of papers which did not seem to have diminished since his return to work. Once more he cursed, this job was getting on top of him, he had a huge project with the overseeing of the new buiding and especially with the new streamlined state of the art research centre, just a shell as yet but those researchers were certainly keen to get going and didn't want to wait a day longer than necessary, but these things took time and he was the only person, seemingly, who acknowledged that.

What he wanted was help, someone to be at his beck and call, someone young, fit and ambitious, someone who would appreciate the opportunity being offered but not so crass as to think he was going to tell others what to do. He'd met more than his fair share of that type, they were a total pain in the neck, or more in the nether quarters.

He wanted a male, no female would do, somehow males were better at playing the game than females who often were so far 'up themselves' they would see no reason. No thanks, no tarts, the trouble is he needed someone at least trained in the basics of building, but who would not think the menial tasks were below him. After all Jim did plenty of those himself.

He'd have to get onto Human Resources when they turned up for the day, it would be almost two hours before they'd be on board.

He started on his papers, pushing most of them aside as non- urgent, trouble is even the non urgent eventually caught up with you. He knew he was getting increasingly more and more irritable but could find no way around it, he was surrering executive stress and he sure didn't like it. He felt like yelling at people but at this time of day there was no one to yell at. Pity about that.

Resignedly he put aside his papers and went and got himself some piping hot coffee and then moved to a more comfortable chair in his office, well away from his desk with its constant demands on his time. Gradually as he sipped he became calmer and his breathing eased, he was in a bad way and knew no way he could avoid it. And this so early in the day.

Sitting there, drinking his coffee he was at least getting a better perspective to his day. A new presentation was required within two weeks and a lot of preparation was required to enable him to get it to the printers in time and to turn his mind to the many charts he was expected to include.

Before he could proceed with those charts he had to get his mind around the whole exercise.

He decided he'd abandon all thoughts of this, get Elizabeth in as soon as she arrived for 1 hour, during which time he would take only the most urgent calls, arrange his new dog's body with personnel, via Elizabeth and then exclude himself from all interruptions for the rest of the day.

That would enable him to break the back of his presentation and that is where his priorities would lie in the next fortnight, that, of course, sounded fine in his own head, but at the back of his mind he knew he must spend time with contractors for the new building which work was going ahead of expected which was making it difficult for him to keep up. He could feel the sheckles at the back of his neck rising once more and abruptly put aside his cup and returned to his desk.

He sorted the pile of papers before him into urgent and other and managed to reduce the urgent file still further. This would do for now and he turned his attention to the most pressing matter before him but as he worked he realized that was not going to be settled in a day.

He needed a work plan and decided he would come to this office first, work on his presentation for two hours and each day when Elizabeth arrived he would spend 1-2 hours with her, have a morning tea break on his own, with his door closed. He would then take urgent phone calls and direct other matters to his other office where he would answer the phone himself, take notes on his laptop, maybe take that home to spend some time on later and do his regular tours of duty around the site talking to heads of projects and others he found there to show his very solid prescence when everyone could be expected to work harder, knowing they were being watched. Yes, he really did know that he would have to learn to throw his weight around a lot more, something which did not come easily to Jim being the nice guy he had always been and somewhat reclusive which did not fit with his new position.

It was not long before he was implementing his plans with Elizabeth and she pointed out, quite correctly that she would not be able to handle so much work on her own and she, too, would need some assistance at least for the meantime.

He could see the wisdom of her words and said she should get the head of Human Resources on the line and put the call straight through to him.

After that he worked comfortably uninterrupted until lunch time but just as he was leaving the head of Human Resources rang, she had taken her time.

"I can't take that call right now, Elizabeth, ask her to ring me back promptly at 2.30 and I shall speak to her"

Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something but Jim was gone, he was in charge around here and senior to the head of Personnel by a long shot. They were all just having to go on a new learning curve.

He drove away, abandoned his car, and proceeded with his brisk walking, returning to his starting point almost to the minute, 1 hour later, having expelled some of his steam, he looked around for a new cafe in the natural reserve, he could do with spending some time in nature, hopefully with a few birds to watch and fortuitously found just the right spot, ordering a steak with salad and 'just a few chips' and following it up with a fresh fruit salad with yogurt .

Birds did fly by, perching in the trees, seemingly looking at him and Jim could admire their antics and absorb the beauty of their colourings. Some were very beautiful indeed.

He was surprised to receive after dinner mints of a particularly good quality and with these he refreshed his palate. This was one thing about being an Executive he did like, he could take this time out for lunch and exercise, feeing him, at least temporarily, from the troubles of the day.

What was really worrying him was the increased demands on his time, which he was finding it hard to come to grips with and find his way around the problem.

Slipping behind the wheel of his BMW once again, which purred into action he arrived almost immediately back at work prompty at 2, intending to spend the next half hour sorting out papers and new demands on his time before his discussion, at 2.30, wth Human Resources.

2.30 came and went and no call.

He buzzed Elizabeth. "Get onto Human Resources and find out what is going on will you?"

Elizabeth phoned back to say that Ms. Robinson would get back to him later.

"No, I said now, so get her on the phone and put her straight through to me, no other calls for the moment"

An icy voice came through the line, shortly thereafter, "I'm busy right now, I'll have to get back to you"

"Oh, no you won't, you'll talk to me now, get it?"

"Well, I don't like being spoken to like that"

"No, and I don't like giving instructions to my inferiors, unless you'v suddenly been promoted to my rank, to ring me at a certain time and finding they don't do it, unless of course you'd like to move to an alternative position and believe me, it won't be a promotion"

Silence.

"Are you hearing me?"

A tentative and subdued 'yes'.

"Good, now what I want is ....." and Jim launched forth with his requirements for new if temporary staff and when she said she'd have to check it out, he roared down the phone"No you won't, you'll do as I say right now and email Elizabeth before the end of the day with what you feel you can arrange, am I understood?"

"Well, if you are going to be like that"

"Yes, that's precisely how I'm going to be, so now you know and you'd better not forget it" slamming the phone down in her ear.

Once more he buzzed Elizabeth, "she's going to sort something out and let you know by the end of the day, leave a message on my desk before you go, please with full details, so I'll have it first thing in the morning, I'll be leaving a little early this evening, continue to take messages please"

"Yes, certainly, Sir", leaving him wondering if he'd heard right, she usually called him Jim.

Now all he had to do was worry about money, his money, first things tomorrow he'd endeavour to make that appointment with the Finance Director for lunch just as Sir Hugh had suggested.

He couldn't expect the Finance Director to take over the management of his personal finances but felt sure he'd give some very valuable insight into the big picture. As an executive he really was very privileged, all he had to do was learn to handle it all. He was not doing very well at the moment and as he drove home leisurely he hoped Mary had had a good day, two stressed out adults in a household would be too much for any family to have to cope with.