While trampling through the week the path got strewn with exacerbated clients, emails unsent, dishes unwashed, an untouched fridge, clean gym shoes, discarded post-it notes, work papers that don’t work anymore, to do lists that have been crossed off, amended, added and thrown in the bin and the neglected plan in my bedroom.

I’m left holding 200 pages of unrevised notes and the exams are in 11 hours time. With my free arm there is still a backlog of client work to be cleaned up next week. It’s been hard.

The light bulb in my room has burnt out so I am writing this in the dark. I don’t have time to buy a new one.

Actually, I do have time to buy a new one: I just have to be organised enough to buy it one the way home in the local shop. I effectively plan my time when I work – otherwise my brain gets paralysed trying to prioritise what is important. I do battle with a combination of calendars, to-do lists, post-it notes, flagging important emails in Outlook and an accurately calibrated clock.

I’m trying to get into a routine of sitting down for an hour on Sunday and planning my free time. Yes, I am that boring. Here’s a list of stuff I think about:

• Work commitments
• Study plans
• What I plan to eat
• When to go to the gym
• Church commitments
• What I want to read
• Who needs to be emailed
• When to blog (getting less and less frequent!)
• Fun (probably need more of this)
• Seeing friends (and meeting enemies)

I haven’t planned a time to buy a light bulb yet.

I stayed up until 3am (GMT) to watch the American election unfold. When Ohio was declared for Obama, I knew it was effectively over. I then got 4 hours of sleep and got up for work. Perhaps it was a mistake in retrospect.

The election has been foremost in the British public’s interest for the past few months – apart from the minor economic setbacks. It might seem strange to the Americans, but this election will probably have a greater effect on Britain than the next British election. There is a lot of expectation on Obama’s president and it would be easy for him to disappoint. Exciting times and a historic moment.

But for now, my main concern is that my bathroom sink is slightly blocked and I don’t own a plunger. If anyone can buy me one, or email instructions on how to make one from accounting textbooks, then I would be extremely happy.