BIMBeing: The Journey #17

#17 – We are not machines…

Image by Alex Knight from Pexels

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Today we’re keeping it ‘short and sweet’ as this will be the final Smith posting of 2019! As we approach the festivities I thought it to be the perfect time to discuss taking a well-earned break…

I’m a firm believer in hard work paying off; always give 100% to any given task, role or project – anything less is a waste of your own time as well as everybody else’s. Eventually, however, you will be needing some rest; that need conveniently tends to kick-in around this time of year! Like me you’ve probably already been out more times during the month of December than the previous 3 months combined and, if you partake in such activities, there’s a good chance you’ve also had a bodyweight-equivalent fill of food and drink as well. It’s the season right? Time to go out and enjoy, especially when the company is paying!

On a more serious note it is critically important to understand that you do need to take a break from work; you are not a machine, you weren’t built for 24/7 output. From my relatively short time in industry I’ve unfortunately seen first-hand the devastating effects on those that simply will not make time to rest. Making time is key, sometimes you need to consciously decide that enough is enough, the breaks will not always present themselves. Several people that I have worked very closely with have left projects, companies, industry and almost this living world as a result of burning themselves out at work; do not end up as one of them, you must take care of yourself.

AEC is a stressful industry and that won’t change any time soon. The industry is full of tight deadlines and bustling construction sites which can be as enjoyable as it is demanding. Nevertheless, the topic of wellbeing has never been more prevalent. There is always a lot of pressure put onto companies to look after their employees and as a result most offer a comprehensive range of welfare options: wellbeing champions, mental-health first aiders, HR teams, flexible work offerings, counselling etc. are all on offer somewhere. Whilst I agree that employers have a duty-of-care to their staff I also feel that an important message is often being missed – it’s you.

Nobody knows you like you know yourself, that’ a simple fact, so you have your own duty to take real care of you. Ensure you get the rest you need, take breaks when things get too much and seek help when necessary to ensure that you are both physically and mentally healthy. We all have lives outside of work, often it’s difficult to remember that when the head is buried in a mountain of outstanding tasks but it’s important not to lose sight of what truly matters. Don’t unnecessarily take yourself to breaking point; we all have one, we are not machines.

Anyway, I don’t want to labour the point and ruin the seasons cheer with demoralising facts and figures, I think the message is simple. Enjoy the festive period, spend time away from work with your friends and family and return in 2020 happy, healthy and possibly 1 stone heavier (maybe not so healthy after all). Maybe kick-back over the holidays by catching up on all of the BIM Being posts? Just a thought.

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Foreword for 2020…

Mr Smith, the BIM Being, was born in the final quarter of 2019. Our race for viewers was from a standing start but we’ve all been pleasantly surprised by the reaction so far (in terms of views per post) – we’re slowly building a fan-base around this content, and for that I’m incredibly grateful to all of you. The idea is simply to discuss everyday topics (typically BIM focussed), depicting the journey of a young BIM’er making their way in industry; the aim is to encourage and inspire those in the early stages of their careers and hopefully provide some ‘food for thought’ to those in more senior roles, especially where in a position to support some industry newbies.

It would be great to see more readers getting involved in 2020, more interaction through comments/emails is therefore my new year target, whether that be criticising the content or suggesting a topic for future posts; I’m open to friendly-ish debate 7 days per week!

I hope you’ve all enjoyed The Journey so far and I look forward to continuing it with you next year. A very Merry Christmas to all of those that celebrate it and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to all.

Mr. Smith
smith@dbe.careers

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