kscans

Chapter 231 - Episode 22: Second Half. The Secret Weapon Against Multitasking

As I left the room, Mia followed me into the hallway.

"I'm sorry. I'm really putting you through a lot."

I bowed my head to Mia. Without her, I could never have handled the bonds. In fact, my main business would have probably collapsed.

"I don't mind supporting you where I can. It's a bit irritating, but Alfina-sama is doing her best as the lab's... secretary. But Senpai, you only have one body."

"R, right, I know. But you see, this is the busiest time, and if I can just get through this... I know. I'll get everything in order and set my priorities straight before I take on the next job."

Mia remained silent at my words.

"Um, everyone's waiting for you."

With a troubled look still on her face, Mia returned to the room.

◇◇

"...Calm down. I am definitely confused. Right, situational awareness is a go."

Back in my room, I stood before my desk and took a deep breath.

"But, but. I know exactly what to do in times like these."

I lectured my frantic self on the necessity of the actions I was about to take. What I needed to do now was not tackle individual jobs, but to get a bird's eye view of all of them. It might seem like a waste of time not to make concrete progress during this busy period. But failing to do this would create the greatest waste of all.

I placed two sheets of paper on my desk. I was juggling a lot of projects. And with them, a massive number of tasks were generated daily. It was making my already crude brain even fuzzier. This was what you would call a state of multitasking. It is the greatest enemy of productivity.

It has the wonderful effect of slowing down your brain's performance right when you need to be working it at its maximum capacity.

"So I will organize them, and I will prioritize them."

I would establish a basic workflow for processing tasks. This flow would be independent of the content of any individual task. Thanks to that, each step was simple and clear. It was, in a way, standardizing the logistics of my thoughts.

I spread out the first sheet of paper. This was my so-called inbox. All new tasks would be written down here first. At this stage, I would only write them down. I would make no attempt to sort or process them.

Next, I would categorize the tasks collected in the inbox by project. For example, the bond issuance from earlier. The development of the Purple Magic generator. ...There are so many.

Finally, I would look at the categorized lists, consider their priority, and create a to do list for the day. Once I started working, I would basically only look at this final list. This would prevent the vast number of tasks from overwhelming my brain. Only what I needed to do right now would be in front of me.

That said, a huge number of tasks have piled up in my inbox over just the last few days. These tasks involve other people, and people who are more important than me at that, so it's not simple. Sorting and organizing them is going to be tough.

"Maybe I should reorganize the project priorities too."

I drew a cross on a sheet of paper. The Eisenhower Matrix. Important versus not important, and urgent versus not urgent. A two-dimensional way of thinking that roughly divides each project into one of four quadrants. With this, the project level priorities would become visually obvious. It's a method that can even handle the duties of a president, after all.

"First, the development of the Purple Magic generator that attracts Magic Insects. This is, of course, urgent and important. Next, the development of a new model of magic staff that can counter the newly emerged adult types. Upgraded to urgent and important. Building the logistics for the battle. And then, the war funds from before and the construction of the new city. The Magic Insect threat has become more serious, so full preparations are... urgent and important... huh??"

I tilted my head as I looked at the projects lined up in the upper left quadrant of the cross, the domain that could never be neglected.

"No, wait. That's right, logistics are with the Chancellor's Office. The bonds are with Mia... But I'm the one who has to lay out the fundamental shape of the new city. I have to take into account what's physically possible under the current circumstances. I need to exchange information with everyone at the Chancellor's Office and Central Garden, and with the Construction and Carriage Guilds..."

I lifted my pen from a project I had been about to move to the "important but not urgent" quadrant.

Calm down. I know they're all important. The problem is prioritizing among the important things.

"The lab is definitely the higher priority. Right, the development of the new sorcery. I've had Maytyl focus on the Battering Ram magic seal, which was the most advanced of our research besides Spiral Flame, but... I can't bet everything on one thing. I really need to come up with some ideas myself. The Purple Magic generator is my absolute, non-negotiable top priority, and... The weapons for fighting the Magic Insects, weren't we supposed to improve them through battle... No, that's not it. Now that we know the power of the adult types, I know we don't have that luxury..."

The list in front of me, which should have been organized, jumped out at my eyes, one item after another. My gaze couldn't settle. The sheer volume of text was making my vision suffer from Gestalt collapse.

"Come to think of it, there's also the Antenna for detecting the Purple Magic Vents that the Magic Insects target... I should commit more to the lab... But I'm already prioritizing it properly..."

I tried to rethink things, centering on my own actions. I have reliable allies, so it's important to delegate. It's okay. The project members are all beyond brilliant. Yes, if I can just concentrate everyone's power, we should be able to do something like saving humanity from extinction.

If there is a problem, it is that the one leading these brilliant members is me, a person who is, in essence, nothing more than mediocre. That's why I have to work hard.

We are in a crisis and we have no time. Mia and all my other precious companions are in danger. By being involved with the new city, they will be closer to the disaster than ordinary merchants. And the most dangerous thing is how Alfina will be treated when we can no longer afford to be choosy about our methods...

I have to solve the vulnerability of a system that relies on Alfina alone...

Then, I could have her all to myse...

...

......

.........

THUD!!

"...Hu, h...?" A shock assaulted my head. I didn't understand what had happened. My consciousness was in chaos. A purple mosaic floated before my eyes. Why is the floor at eye level... Did the desk fall over? I can see the legs of the desk on their side.

"Ricardo-kun!!"

I heard the basa basa of falling paper and a sound like Alfina's shriek. Why was I seeing Alfina from the side? She was walking on the wall like a ninja...

The vibrations of Alfina's footsteps traveled through the side of my head. Ah, I see. I collapsed...

"Ricardo-kun. Please, pull yourself together. Ricardo-kun. Ricardo-kun!!"

Alfina rushed over and tried to lift my head into her arms. My consciousness faded out there.