Young Assistant Superintendent Needing Advice

woodmagman

I think you have self diagnosed your major contributor to your anxiety. Lack of slept and cafine will kill you. Stress is what brings you to staying awake, coffee is what is keeping you awake and the energy drinks are contributing with energy to chase your tale causing more stress.
Work enviroments are not a thing to try to navigate when you are juiced on anything. The cafine will make your heart beat out of your chest given the right enviroment and man you have stated that enviroment..............................Self medication with any product is a loss -loss situation.
Speak with a proffesional before it becomes more serious......This is not the place...Good luck.

dirt diggler

actually - woodmag's gotta point

those energy drinks - they're just liquid cocaine

for one - they are not good for you (they have WARNING labels on them, lol)

boman47k

Couldn't agree more about the stimulants!

boman47k

Imo, the perceived need for it is sometimes a warning in itself.

MadDog

Wow, im overwhelmed with all the good advice, I dont know who to thank first. Im thankfull I found this place.

Your advice about taking inventory of myself was spot on. I had to be objective and honest about what I was actually producing on the site (and what I was NOT producing). Only then was I able to write up a schedule that make my time as effective as possible.

Today I started my new daily routine that I wrote up this weekend. It limits my time spent in the office sending out submittle requests and going over change orders to one time a week instead of every day. This helped me tremendously. I made an impact today and pushed our subs ahead of schedule by a couple of days (only to have it knocked back again by our landscapers ripping out 50' of conduit).

dirt diggler

Mad Dog ...

don't take this the wrong way

but you're getting pretty worked up over a job.

and --- what you're describing

is NOT worthy of a nervous breakdown


right??


that kinda sh*t should be rollin off ya man. Easy for me to say, I know. But it's just a thing



Communication works wonders ....

MadDog

Im the only provider for a wonderfull wife of 7 years and 4 kick ass kids. I refuse to let them down.

But I understand what your saying. The funny thing is, sometimes this job makes me miss being a rod buster with the Local 86. I find myself reminising about packing steel in the winter, building peir caps, tilt ups, and bridge decks. That sounds relaxing to what I have to manage now lol.

dirt diggler

Mad Dog ... from your first post ... you're upset because you're feeling like the 5th wheel. You pulled the company through on one project and now two hotshots are taking the reigns (new PM & Super)

You haven't said anything about pay - so im assuming that's ok. So you're able to provide ... but ...

you're just feeling ... welll ... lost in the shuffle


i know (i think at least i know) what you're feeling ... it's one of the reasons i've never been able to hold down a job




but you're spending free time (weekends) coming up with solutions to work. Which is great ...

if you're not satisfied with the place you're in - start looking for something else. If your present employer won't consider YOU for PM - ask him why.



we're ALL salesmen. Whether self employed or not - we're all salesmen. We fit needs of others. You fit the needs of your employer by "being there" in the position that you're in.

how can you meet his needs at a PM level? Have you talked about this with him??

is it money you're going after? Glory? Pride? What???

pm_sup

There is a lot of good advice in this thread. In our location there is a huge shortage of construction industry talent in all fields. This puts an incredible amount of stress on us to get the job done. The subtrades are in the catbird seat. It is a huge challenge just getting them to show up. When they are on site we have to cater to them, or they simply go elsewhere. This is especially the case with specialty trades.

Anyway it adds to the stress immensely. We don't have qualified foremen, labourers, etc to do the jobs required, so it means a huge amount of work on the super's shoulders.

The best thing I can do, to be more productive and de-stress is exercise. If I can get in a 1/2 hour jog/run at lunch, it helps a lot. This is difficult on a construction site, as I have to change clothes etc. but not impossible. I find I function better and think more clearly if I do this.

POOLMANinCT

sounds like he needs a hug from dr. diggler

farrellpainting

when i get overwhelmed (i dont have wife or kids) i ride my mountain bike as far as i can go, 5-6 hrs or more, non stop. and then i start back home.i might be walking through another county at 2 a.m in the rain half dead, but i never give up. i could possible die on the side of the road, this is a REAL PROBLEM, but putting myself in that position makes me realize that my work/life problems are small potatoes!it's insane i know, but it works miracles for me, ill feel like an entirely new man after a good rest! well some time the legs wont work for a day, but my problems become manageable!

oh yeah, get some literature pertaining to your problem whatever it may be,stress, management etc. it'll give you the upper hand on the prob!
i read before i ride then while im riding i think about ways to apply what iv'e learned!

WNYcarpenter

Thanks for your post.

farrellpainting

you being sarcastic?

WNYcarpenter

No! seriously, I like backpacking but I rarely go. I've always associated camping with vacation. You've offered a new stress release for me. I'm in the same situation, not married, no kids....The key is to read something informative before you set off and you have that time to apply it to yourself. I was being sincere.

farrellpainting

im glad i helped!
i run my fat mud tires on the road when i do this, it kicks my azz faster, ride the high gears too!
backpacking in jamestown.....you just made me jealous!

MadDog

Not going after anything other than moving foward in life. I care deeply about this company and want to know that im making every micro second of my time on the job as effective as possible in producing the best results possible.

This company is ran by some people I respect very deeply (and who respect me in return). I would give everything in my life short of my wife and kids to make this company the most powerfull and successfull of its kind.

dirt diggler

That's very noble ...


would you give your sanity for this company???







if the respect is both ways (as you say) - you should not be feeling this way ... right?


Dr. Diggler

MadDog

Old thread I know, I just wanted to say hey to my brothers in arms.

Im closing down this project as Acting Sup again. This project has been the most well executed and ran project in our companys history (per the VP) and has gone verry well. Your little bit of advice really helped me out, so thank you all for your time.

I just started the close out process and have my finish carpenters putting the final touches on the last phase of homes. Im about to start a 250home project with the Supe I was working with, its going to be a bear but I think ill love it.

Ill touch base when I can, take care.