The Coaching Corner with Michael Riegel: Work Hard, Play Hard

Work Hard, Play Hard 

We seem to have a mindset of going after things "hard," whether that relates to work or play. I'm not talking about the seeming backlash to this mindset with "quiet quitting" which is often mininterpreted. I am thinking of the missing leg of the "work hard, play hard" stool - rest hard. We have an unacknowledged rest problem that has significant ramifications to us personally, our team members, and our projects. Our sleep problem can run headlong into our goals of delivering projects on-time, on-budget, and safely. The statistics are daunting: 

• 44% of workers get less than 7 hours of sleep 
• 33% of working adults get less than 6 hours of sleep 
• Accident rates are 18% and 30% higher for workers on evening and overnight shifts, respectively.

The overall lack of proper sleep leads to poor decision making, impaired judgement, a lack of dexterity, and a drop in alertness. Now consider the crane operator or driver of the concrete truck who may be operating on even less than 6 hours of sleep because they are coming off a double-shift to make up time on a project that's behind schedule. Yes, we have sleep problems because we miss the need to also rest hard. 

There are some things we can do but they all begin with acknowledgement and communications. We need to be open and honest with our teams about the dangers. As a new parent of twins, I know I was not getting proper sleep. I would proudly talk about a semester of grad school that I couldn't recall. I can see how pride should be replaced with gratitude that I did not have an accident on a job site, fall asleep while driving, or worse. 

We have probably heard many approaches to increase the chance of a fuller night sleep. Wind down before bed. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in the evening. Finish eating at least 2 hours before bed. Get regular exercise. Only use your bed for sleeping (I would have a hard time removing the tv from our bedroom). In a workplace that has physical risks (both the job site and office), the best thing we can do is recognize the signs of sleep deprivation - sloppiness, inattention to detail, mistakes. 

As a leader, the additional productivity by driving teams with long hours may not be worth the risks. You may hear a team member talk about sleep the way I did as a new parent. The language we use is critical and often ignored. The "I''m so tired" refrain on a Monday morning may be the red flad that needs to be confronted. The regular 3:30 Starbucks run may be a symptom of a bigger problem. The last thing any of us want to think or feel in the wake of a preventable incident is "I wish I had said something." We can all work hard and play hard as long as we also rest hard. 

You can reach me at MRiegel@AECBusinessStrategies.com.

Michael Riegel