This week I want to talk about burnout, not because I’m at risk, but because I think it’s something that needs to be discussed.

I think burnout is not covered often because some may consider it a sign of weakness.

If you want to continue working in the construction industry long-term, you must recognize when you’re about to burn out.

You may already know this, but the construction industry is not for the faint of heart. Every company is different, but you will tend to work long hours as you try to meet one deadline after another.

Let’s be honest; every company wants to turn over their projects as quickly as possible. Doing so will bring cash flow into the company. The more projects you can complete each year, the more profit you’ll make.

Yet, we run into many roadblocks in construction or project-specific requirements that must be completed before you can progress to the next step. Depending on the size of the job and your company, you may have a team working on a project, or you’ll be all on your own.

There are hundreds of tasks you can be required to complete on a single project, and as a project manager, overseeing that all can be daunting. I’ll be honest; I can’t remember the last time I’ve only worked 40 hours a week other than when we have federal holidays.

I tend to work more like 45-50 hours weekly. Sure, this is not much more, but those hours add up over a year or career.

Also, when you’re a salaried employee, you’re not getting paid more than 40 hours in a week. So, you’re working for love, not money, at that point.

That’s where work-life balance becomes a factor. You’ll want to find a company where you can still have time outside of work to do things you enjoy.

If you’re working at a larger corporation, there’s a good chance you won’t have the freedom of life outside of work. It’s great if you’re a workaholic, but that’s not the lifestyle that I want.

Thankfully, I have a job at a mid-size family-owned construction company, and they give me some flexibility as long as I meet my deadlines. You should strive for this if you can; it will be the best way to keep yourself sane in the long run.

Since we’re on burnout, let’s look at how we can identify if you’re becoming burnt.

Signs of Burnout

Looking at the Mayo Clinic’s information on burnout, we can find that the following symptoms can occur if you ignore burnout.

Excessive stress Fatigue Insomnia Sadness, anger, or irritability Alcohol or substance misuse Heart disease High blood pressure Type 2 diabetes Vulnerability to illnesses

These can be some serious issues and should not be ignored. I have been on the side of abusing alcohol due to the stress of construction.

If you look at the numbers, about 16.5% of construction workers reported heavy alcohol consumption in the past month.

Substance abuse is prominent due to construction workers’ stress in the industry. I can personally tell you that alcohol does not help with your stressors.

The Mayo Clinic article is an excellent read to learn more about burnout.

Some Mistakes I Have Made With Burnout

I also want to discuss the mistakes I made when working in construction. I disregarded my well-being and put work before myself many times before.

Within the last year, I have made an effort to consider my mental and physical health before my job, making a significant difference.

Let’s look at some of the dumb things I’ve done in the past, which I now regret.

Refusing to Take Vacation Time

I didn’t take vacations because I was worried I would fall behind on my work. Not only that, but I thought that since I didn’t have anywhere to go, what was the point of taking a vacation?

This was a genuine mistake because I now realize you need a break even if you don’t have somewhere to travel; just avoid work for a short time. The work may build up slightly, but it will be there when you return.

One of the companies I worked at also did not payout my vacation time when we parted ways, so that was a tough pill to swallow.

Looking back at my mistakes, I will always take vacation time, even if it just involves me staying at home.

Do you have some at home projects you have neglected? Well, taking a mini vacation could be your perfect opportunity to get caught up!

Just do something where you don’t have to think about your job.

Working Through my Lunch Break

I’ll admit I still do this from time to time. Only when the pressure is on and I have much work to do that day.

Other than that, I make it a point to take at least a 30-minute lunch break. Allowing your brain some time to relax and reset can be very beneficial to maintaining your motivation.

The more you try to power through and work during lunch, the worse your focus will become. You become less effective at your job, and therefore working through lunch is counterproductive.

One mentor that I had always made it a point to take a lunch break for this reason. It was a lesson I took with me and found very useful in my career.

Working Excessively Long Hours

There have been times when I pushed the 12-hour mark, and it did not do me any good doing so. Now, anything more than a 10-hour day is pushing it.

I did this because I thought I needed to get stuff done and that if not, I would fall behind. I’ll tell you a secret, that work isn’t going anywhere and will be there for you tomorrow.

I suggest adopting a solid note-taking method. I found a book called “Building a Second Brain” to be very helpful.

An excellent note-taking system lets you quickly pick up where you last left off.

If you want to get a bit technical, studies have been conducted, and they find that the more you work, the less effective you will be. It should be obvious, but some people still pull crazy long hours, and I can’t understand why.

Remember to take care of yourself first.

Conclusion

Burnout is a very real thing in construction. Be mindful of it and take a break if you’re getting close to burnout.

If you want to maintain a construction job for the long run, I can’t stress how important this is.

Be well.

Respectfully,

Alex