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OPINION
Take that PTO and reset
Taking time to slow down, prioritize self-care, and recharge improves productivity, mental clarity, and overall well-being.
I retired from full-time work a year ago – which came as somewhat of a surprise to my coworkers and the company leadership. I wanted to spend more time with my family, my aging parents, and a brand-new granddaughter. I had also reached the point where I was utterly burned out and had to escape what had become a joyless job – at least to me. So, I chose to step away from a firm I had been with for more than 26 years, to leave that second family, and take time for myself.
Greg Sepeda
In the first couple of months, two things happened. First, my family presented me with a lengthy list of tasks I never had time for. By Christmas, I had updated the phone plan, attended soccer games and band concerts, and replanted the herb garden. Now, a year later, there are still things to work on – the garage still needs to be cleaned out. But I also found that as my life slowed, the fog in my head started to clear. I think we all agree that the AEC industry is hectic nowadays. You can hardly read a periodical without an author reminding us there is too much work and insufficient resources. The work hours and the stress of meeting client expectations weighed on me to the point where I was not sleeping well, was acting impatient with the family, and was not spending time where I wanted to spend my time. John Maxwell
discusses this and the “Law of Priorities” in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership . Things did not change overnight. But gradually, I became more clear-headed and (hopefully) more pleasant. I have had time to write down and pursue some of those ideas that had been rolling around inside my head. I finished a personal genealogy project, drafted this and a few other articles, and have just been able to look at our industry with a different set of eyes. I have even taken the opportunity to meet with a few of my former clients and share opinions on some things I was too cautious to say when the firm’s livelihood depended on them issuing that next contract. I probably irritate my former partners when I
See GREG SEPEDA , page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 20, 2025, ISSUE 1569
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