2A - The Bug List

The Bug List

1. When the bagger at the grocery store puts your delicate items in the same bag as your hard items. For example, putting your bread in the same bag as your canned goods. When you get home your bread is all squished. WHY - The line is moving slow and the store is busy so the bagger thinks that they should move faster and therefore are not as mindful of your items.
2. When your coworkers don't finish their work before their shift is up and they leave it for the next person. WHY - The coworker does not realize that they are not being as efficient as they could be by finishing their work before leaving their shift and think that it is ok to pass it off to the person coming into work after them.
3. When there is a task that no one wants to do and it gets left for last or pushed from person to person. WHY - The task is annoying or time consuming and should be properly dealt with by management to promote and delegate the task and to make sure it gets done in a timely manner. 
4. When you're about to finish your makeup and mess up on your eyeliner and have to wipe it off and start over. WHY - The makeup is being rushed or the time and care is not being taken to finish the last step properly. 
5. When you fall asleep with your makeup on and have to scrub it off in the morning. WHY - You give in to the easy feeling of falling asleep instead of taking the time needed to take your makeup off late at night. 
6. When you're cooking dinner with a specific recipe and realize halfway through that you forgot to buy an ingredient that is vital to the recipe. WHY - You did not take the time to double check the list of ingredients before beginning to cook. 
7. When you're working on a group project and divide the project into equal parts and one person in the group slacks on their part leaving the rest of the group to pick up the slack. WHY - That person believes that whatever they decide not to do will get done by other members of the group anyways so they don't see a penalty for their actions.
8. When you're working on online homework that is time sensitive and the internet cuts out.  WHY - The internet connection should be confirmed before performing a time sensitive online assessment. 
9. When you get to the campus library to study and realize you forgot your laptop charger. WHY - The proper time was not taken to check that all study material was packed before leaving. 
10. When you get your nails done and smudge the nail polish after you leave the salon. WHY - The proper care was not taken while the nail polish was still drying. 
11. When you turn the TV on and it takes a few extra seconds to turn on so you press the button again thinking that it's not turning on but it does and you end up turning the TV back off by pressing the button the second time. WHY - You were not patient with the first action and therefore took a step back by repeating the action again. 
12. When you ask someone for directions and they give you North-East-South-West directions instead of left-right ones. WHY - You were not specific in asking for directions how you would like to be instructed. You also did not prepare for all the ways the directions could be given to you. 
13. When you turn the shower on and jump in only to realize the water is scolding hot. WHY - You did not wait before jumping in the shower. 
14. When someone in public is on the phone with headphones on and is screaming their conversation because they can't hear themselves. WHY - The person is not mindful of their surroundings. 
15. When you make plans way in advance and the person cancels on the day of. WHY - The person does not realize the commitment you made by reserving the day and time to meet with them. 
16. When the car ahead of you does not indicate before turning or switching lanes. WHY - The proper rules are not being abided by and the courtesy of letting people know ahead of time which direction they are going is being neglected.
17. When you go to the gym and there are so many people that machines are not available and you either have to wait around for a free one or change your workout plan. WHY - You are going at the peak time of attendance and giving yourself a window where the availability of machines is limited. 
18. When the service person says they will come between a certain time but they show up late or don't come at all, especially without letting you know. WHY - The service person could be running late from being held up at a different appointment, however there should be a courtesy call to let you know. 
19. When you like a song but you begin to hate it after hearing it being played nonstop everywhere. WHY - The song is popular and the artist is trying to promote their single so it continues to get played.
20. When you are waiting in line and someone tries to skip all the people who have been waiting. WHY - That person thinks they are more important than those who were already in the line and does not take into account the time spent by those in line.

There can be a lot of annoying things that bother us, but when asked to write 20 of them down on a list it becomes hard to think of them. It's a strange concept to write down a list of things that bother you when society deems those who complain as unattractive. However, in business it is important to push yourself to find the problems others may encounter and to devise a way to resolve them through finding the reason why these problems exist. So this exercise is important to understand how to find the "why" in problems and annoyances.