By Elizabeth Anne Hull
Elizabeth Anne Hull
Perhaps the best known “law” that governs the universe we live in is Murphy’s Law: “If anything can go wrong, it will (go wrong).” I was shocked recently to discover that Murphy’s Law isn’t ancient , but dates from 1949. I was twelve in 1949, and had already started reading science fiction, but Murphy’s Law seems to me to be something I always knew.
People my age haven’t forgotten the Peter Principle: “In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence,” only slightly more recent, formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1968 book, The Peter Principle
In that spirit of describing the random world around us, a few years ago I formulated Betty’s Law — which has a better ring to it than Hull’s Law, don’t you think? — and began teaching/preaching about it to my friends, acquaintances, anyone who would listen. Betty’s Law goes like this: “Everything always takes twice as long as you think it will — at least. (And it’s that at least part that causes trouble.)”
Test this against your own experience: It’s easy enough to cope with the main clause, just allow twice what you think a task should require. But since that’s the minimum, most of the time you will find that it’s healthier and more realistic not to overschedule, or you will be running late and offending or at least imposing on friends and business associates. Sometimes a task can take two, three, four times the time you originally estimated. Being stuck in traffic behind an accident, or installing software, or putting together a new end table with “some assembly required” are common examples. If doctors allowed for Betty’s Law, wouldn’t they and we be happier and less stressed out?
BTW, Betty’s Law applies especially to regaining health, for both Fred and me, anyway. The good news is that we’re going in the right direction now. Thanks to everyone who’s sent get well wishes our way.
