Twelve Commandments from Those Who Survived IT (With Humor Intact)

At some point I realized that my life had turned into an endless marathon without a finish line. I decided to compile the mistakes — both mine and others' — into practical guidance. Not as doctrine, but as a conversation over coffee.

1. Respect Your Own Time and Others' Time

Don't attend useless meetings. Meeting outcomes should be action items. Unproductive gatherings waste an irreplaceable resource. Invite only essential participants and leave with concrete decisions. Lengthy discussions about things that could be communicated in a brief message are poor time management. If a conversation goes in circles, interrupt respectfully and propose a closure.

2. Don't Be the Hero in Someone Else's Story

Focus on doing your own work well. Don't worry about others' responsibilities. Accepting tasks outside your accountability creates chaos rather than assistance. Colleagues feel diminished when you shoulder their work, establishing an unhealthy precedent. Instead, offer guidance: "That's not my assignment, though I can help you find a solution."

3. Family Is Your Life, Not Just Free Time

Family matters more than work. Find balance between professional and personal. Careers are marathons, not sprints. Missing a child's event for a deadline that later gets postponed is a genuine loss. Career advancement shouldn't demand choosing between ambition and loved ones. Negotiate flexible arrangements; remember that employment provides the vehicle while relationships determine the destination.

4. Ask Questions, Even Seemingly Stupid Ones

If you don't understand — ask. If you're confused again — ask again. Leave embarrassment elsewhere. Five minutes of apparent foolishness beats weeks reworking incorrect deliverables. Your colleagues have similar knowledge gaps. Seek clarification before executing tasks, especially when client requirements seem ambiguous. Questions protect both parties from misaligned expectations.

5. Be Predictable as Clockwork

At work, be predictable — otherwise people fear you. Colleagues need consistency. Unpredictability — oscillating between high productivity and disengagement — generates anxiety around collaboration. Reliability makes you trustworthy: responding promptly, honoring commitments, consistently offering support.

6. Don't Treat Burnout with Caffeine

Work requires balance. Listen to your body or burnout follows regardless of where you work. Working while ill spreads sickness and incompetence simultaneously. Rest takes priority; deliverables can wait. Exhaustion isn't heroism — it's self-sabotage. Psychological equilibrium matters as much as physical presence.

7. Learn to Say "No" Like an Emperor

Either learn to say "no" or people will exploit you. Decline respectfully while suggesting alternatives. Refusing requests protects your time boundaries. Accepting everything labels you as perpetually available. Decline diplomatically: "I cannot take this on right now, but I know someone who can help." This preserves relationships while protecting your capacity.

8. Deepen Your Skills, Don't Spread Yourself Thin Like Pancake Batter

If colleagues suggest learning C# while you're a designer, ignore that advice. Deepen what matters, then touch adjacent areas. Chasing every technology creates shallow expertise everywhere. Master your domain first, then expand into related fields. Expertise requires depth, not universal coverage.

9. Team, Not Family

If management claims everyone is like family, leave. When you miss your child's school performance, your spouse won't accept "company culture" as an explanation. Professional groups pursue shared objectives through complementary roles. Unlike families, team composition changes. Address underperformance directly; replace if necessary. Real cohesion develops through overcoming challenges together, not through enforced loyalty.

10. Mistakes Are Data, Not Self-Flagellation

Don't fear making mistakes. The problem isn't failure — it's repeating the same failure without learning. Mistakes provide educational value. Analyze what went wrong, how prevention works, what protective measures to put in place. Repeated errors transform learning opportunities into destructive patterns. Accept responsibility while maintaining confidence.

11. Decomposition — Breaking Mountains Into Grains

Decomposition applies everywhere: estimates, tasks, requirements, features, goals. Massive tasks feel impossible; small victories motivate continuation. Overwhelming challenges become manageable through systematic breakdown. Completing minor subtasks generates momentum and psychological reinforcement for advancing further.

12. Work Where Your Genius Thrives, Not Where It's Fought

Don't work where your contribution succeeds despite obstacles rather than because of support. Employment should leverage expertise, not combat organizational resistance. Spending your days pushing against bureaucratic friction wastes potential. Find organizations that appreciate your capabilities. Even exceptional talent refuses to keep jumping across puddles when bridges exist nearby.

Closing Thoughts

Rules represent borrowed experience. Collect wisdom from others' mistakes, add your own insights. These aren't rigid laws but working frameworks. Use them flexibly.

P.S. If despair strikes after reading this — wait until payday before making any decisions.