Burnt

I haven’t written a word in months because my work schedule has eaten away at my mornings and evenings. The workload has been insane since last year. I do miss writing; it’s a good outlet for maintaining my sanity.

I have ideas rattling around that I’d still like to explore, and I think this blog is still a good place to do that. But I can’t bring myself to stay on a computer any longer than I have to after putting in 12 to 14 hours everyday. I’m mentally exhausted at the end of the day, and I don’t want to spend any more time away from family either.

Our industry ebbs and flows, it always has. It’s hard to track from one year to the next when the busiest times will be. I’ve had distinct memories of suffering through March–trying to close out fiscal year business–but I’ve also had other years where end of summer turned into a death-march–trying to get things lined up for 4th quarters. The whole of 2023 was brutal and the project schedule continued right into 2024 without any let up.

I’m taking 15 minutes to write this for 3 reasons:

  1. I miss writing
  2. I’m waiting for a callback
  3. The techs I’m supporting across 3 jobs today are all busy working on something else

I do think things are getting better. I would like to spend time thinking about project planning and schedules and to figure out how to stay out of this situation, but that’s asking to fix a lot of things that are out of my control. I can only control my actions.

Thank you for reading.

4 thoughts on “Burnt”

  1. Welcome back, we’ve missed you. It can be like that in this business. The show must go on and all that guff. It was like that for me until I started working for myself. Then those jobs that you know you don’t want to do you just don’t do them. And you can schedule your life to be what you want it to be.

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    1. Thank you for the kind words, Mark. I started programming Crestron in 2010, and back then it seemed like becoming a CAIP was the natural progression. Getting through all the training took me a few extra years–largely because I didn’t make time for it in my schedule–and by then CAIP had morphed into CSP and I felt comfortable where I was. The jump to independent is scary, but ultimately does offer what I want… I don’t know that it would help my scheduling problems. I might still say yes to every job opportunity that comes along. But at least the hard work would reward myself!

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  2. This really hits home… we followed up two weeks of Commencement chaos with (now) four major projects in a row. Just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel… and then we will hit more major projects in late July. And I’ve barely been coding! I’ve been supporting our install techs and commissioning for the most part. I hope you’re able to find some quiet and reflection, even for a moment at a time. Our field is so often underestimated.

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    1. Thank you, Chris. I think what I fear most about a busy schedule is that nothing closes out quickly and the work just keeps stacking up. Our projects leave no buffer, and construction delays always eat into the commissioning time. In 2023, I want to say we took on at least 5 large RFP bids that were all riddled with problems. These large jobs, they pull our focus away from our established customers, and I get worried about letting them down when they need us for support. Always chasing bigger fish…

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