Laying a strong foundation

As builders, we know firsthand that the construction industry is fast-paced and demanding. It’s common to face high levels of stress and pressure and the success of each job relies on multiple facets all working smoothly –many of which are out of our control.

How you cope with the stress and pressure when it arises makes all the difference to your personal happiness, your productivity and the success of the job. Today we’ll share a few simple tools to help you create a win-win-win for yourself, your team, and your clients.

Take Regular Breaks. We understand that your never-ending to-do list may make you feel like you don’t have time to stop, however, taking regular breaks actually increases your productivity and your ability to brainstorm the best solutions. Breaks help to recharge you both mentally and physically and significantly reduce the risk of burnout.

Take short breaks (without your phone!) to stretch your back, breathe deep and enjoy a large drink of water. These moments of rest and rejuvenation have a profound impact on your focus, your energy levels, and your overall mood.

Take time to eat well. The food you eat directly affects your energy levels and your ability to concentrate on the job. Nutritious food like fruit, vegetables and nuts refuel your body and switch on your brain, increasing your performance and allowing you to work more efficiently.

Make time to laugh and have fun. Find opportunities to share a light-hearted joke or engage in activities that bring joy to your day. Laughter relieves stress, helps your team to feel more connected and promotes a positive work atmosphere.

Take a few minutes to connect with your colleagues, share funny stories, or engage in light-hearted banter. These moments can have a significant positive impact on your overall wellbeing and contribute to a much more enjoyable workplace.

Time Management. We all have the same 168 hours in the week and plenty to fit into those hours! How we spend our time is 100% in our control, even though we often don’t feel like it is. When your weeks are feeling like there are just not enough hours to get everything done, prioritising your time is crucial.

Take note of how you are spending, and enjoying, your down time and whether or not it is making you feel truly refreshed.

Consider spending an hour or two on a Friday afternoon planning your next working week. This way the tasks to be done are still fresh in your mind and anyone you need to book in or communicate with, is still working.

Sir Graham Henry, NZCB Conference & Expo, May 2023

Foster a Positive Work Environment. Those of you who were at the New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) Conference & Expo, in Christchurch, this year would have enjoyed hearing Sir Graham Henry speak on Leadership.

His coaching style was based around their ‘Better people make better All Blacks’ philosophy, and as we all know, had great results. He was kind enough to share a few of his ‘Leadership Tips’ with us, including what to do when a team member is not performing.

Sir Graham recommends lavishly emphasising your team members’ strengths and positive contributions by highlighting specific things they have done which you were impressed with, and how their work has positively impacted your team and the job. Then, Sir Graham suggests asking your team member “is there anything we can help you with, or any skills you’d like to improve on?”

In the glow of praise, Sir Graham says it is far more likely that your team member will pinpoint their own weaknesses, which then sets the scene for you to plan together to overcome them.

Set Boundaries. Establish clear boundaries between your work and personal life by defining specific times for work and non-work activities, and communicating these boundaries with your team and your loved ones. This includes the appropriate times each day to communicate work plans to your team.

Book in dedicated time to do the things you really enjoy, including sports and hobbies and quality time with your family and friends. Giving yourself and your team mates this dedicated time allows you all to fully recharge and bring renewed energy to both your workplace and your families.

So, dear builders, let’s not only build structures, but also a community of energetic craftsman, thriving teamwork, and good-natured humour. Together, we’ll create not just buildings that stand tall, but a legacy of laughter, success, and endless stories to share at the end of the workday.

For more information ask in branch or talk to your rep.