How to Handle Work-Life Balance During Busy Seasons

I used to walk through the door at 9 p.m., smelling like dust and concrete, boots still caked with mud. My kids were already asleep. My wife was tired of hearing me say, “Honey, it’s just a hard time right now.” Weekends? Gone. PTO? Didn’t happen. Balance? Forget it. That was me—working all the time as a Superintendent. What shook me was when Kate said one time, "It's always a busy time. We will just go without you." 😳 I was devastated. And decided to make a change. I went from missing family dinners to taking PTO, working standard hours, and actually being present for my kiddos. Here’s the pattern that made the difference: Top 10 Habits for Work–Life Balance in Construction ↗️ Schedule Your PTO at the Beginning of the Year - (Family time is a milestone. Put it on the calendar first and guard it.) ↗️ Create a Coverage Plan for All PTO - (Peace of mind comes when the project can stand without you. Build that into the culture.) ↗️ Prioritize Stability with Standard Meetings - (Fire drills steal your evenings. Rhythm and consistency with communication give them back.) ↗️ Make Planning Visual and Clear - (Get it out of your head. Put it on boards so others can lead in your absence.) ↗️ Time Block Your Days - (Protect deep work, meeting rhythms, and family transitions.) ↗️ Have Morning & Afternoon Routines - (Start with intention. End with a reset so you walk through the door calm, not chaotic.) ↗️ Go on a Weekly Date Night - (The foundation at home matters more than any foundation you place on site.) ↗️ Schedule Your Health Appointments (and Keep Them) - (Doctor. Dentist. Therapy. Don’t wait until you’re broken.) ↗️ Keep Leader Standard Work - (Daily, weekly, monthly checklists keep you proactive—not reactive.) ↗️ Create Buffers in Your Plan - (Don’t jam every minute. Leave space for calls, surprises, and just breathing.) Construction doesn’t have to cost you your family. It doesn’t have to cost you your health. If you drive your project with stability and a lot of discipline with planning—while protecting these habits—you can win both at work and at home. 💡 Which of these habits do you already use? Which one do you need most right now? Love, J$

I Was Drowning In Busy Season! (Then I Found This Mental Hack) Ever felt your brain was being pulled in 8 different directions at once? That was me a few months back. 4 different clients. Long hours workweeks. 1 auditor - Me. And the problem wasn't the amount of work. It was something far more dangerous. My mind was constantly shifting: From Task A to Task B. From Client 1 to Client 3. From urgent email to random ping. Each switch felt like it drained a little more of my mental battery. Until one week, I hit empty. Know that feeling of heaviness in your head? When your thoughts feel like they're wading through mud? That's where I was. But I refused to accept this as "just part of the job." There had to be a better way. And after weeks of experimenting, I found 3 mental hacks that saved my sanity. These aren't your typical productivity tips. These are survival techniques for anyone juggling multiple clients. Here's what worked for me: 1. Your Brain is Not a Storage Device Your mind wasn't designed to remember things. It was designed to GET THINGS DONE. So stop forcing it to be your to-do list. Every time a manager pinged me with a request, I immediately wrote it down in OneNote. Not tomorrow. Not "when I have time." IMMEDIATELY. Then I'd mentally release it. Think of your brain like your smartphone – when too many apps are running in the background, everything slows down. Close those background apps. 2. Treat Client-Facing Tasks Like Hot Potatoes When juggling multiple clients, everything seems urgent. But here's the truth: Not all urgent tasks are created equal. My breakthrough came when I realized this simple rule: Anything that goes directly to a client takes absolute priority. Emails. Deliverables. Meeting preparations. Think of them as hot potatoes – get them off your plate FIRST. Everything else? It can wait for 25 minutes. 3. The 25-Minute Forcefield I started using the Pomodoro Technique – 25 minutes of intense focus, followed by a 5-minute break. During those 25 minutes, I created a mental forcefield around myself. No emails. No Slack pings. No team check-ins. Just me and ONE task. Unless you're in a live client meeting, NOTHING is so urgent it can't wait 25 minutes. The most surprising benefit? This practice didn't just save my work life – it saved my personal life too. Before, even when talking with my parents, my mind would wander to pending tasks. Now, I'm fully present wherever I am. If you're in a client-facing role juggling multiple projects, these techniques aren't optional – they're essential for your mental health. Are you constantly task-switching? What techniques have worked for you? If you enjoyed reading this, it's a snippet from my FREE weekly newsletter where I share everything about my audit lessons and concepts. #audit #productivity #mentalhealth #consulting #clientmanagement

5 rules I follow to stay balanced all year. Even during my busiest seasons. Work-life balance looks different to everyone. Some people need a clear line between the two. Others thrive when it all blends together. Neither is wrong and neither is fixed. Over the years, I've learned my balance is seasonal. Some seasons are family-centered  (Especially when school's out for summer). Other parts of the year are work-heavy. Mostly, it's a mix of both. And that works for me. I've also learned that my team needs the same grace.  Their time is just as important as my own. So here's how I try to make sure we all stay balanced throughout the year: 1. Set Boundaries ↳ Put in clear times where you work and when you don't. ↳ Treat your team the same, no late messages unless it's a real emergency. 2. Make Time to Rest ↳ Busy periods of work need time for recovery. ↳ Schedule time to rest, for yourself and your team. 3. Quality over Quantity ↳ Don't wish for more time. Make what you have count.  ↳ Something that keeps me on track is the Pomodoro method. 4. Set Aside Time for Joy ↳ Moments with family, working on a hobby or even lying down. ↳ If it's important to you, schedule it in. 5. Remember You Can Be Flexible ↳ Check in each quarter and see if things need changing. ↳ Likewise, if a team member needs a change, be open to support them. Balance isn't a one-size-fits-all formula. It shifts with your life, your priorities, and your energy. Stay honest with yourself and you'll get there. What does balance look like for you? I'd love to hear what y'all think! ________________ ♻️ Repost to pass this along to folks who'd appreciate it! ➕ If you like what I share, go ahead and follow Lise Kuecker!