Why do consultants work long hours?
Lack of work-life balance is one of the biggest pain points for consultants. It seems like an unsolvable problem. But you can make it at least less painful. Learn some practical tips.
I often worked long hours as a consultant.
And I always thought about how I could improve my situation.
My first reaction was to blame my partners for making me work long hours.
Then, I realized that it was not my partners who forced me.
In most cases, my insecurities drove me crazy.
It was a coping mechanism.
I was not confident in the quality of my work.
And subconsciously, I wanted to have an excuse in case my partners blamed me for my poor work so I could tell them:
"At least I worked hard until 3 am every day for two months."
But here's the kicker:
Those hypothetical scenarios rarely happened.
Actually, they never did.
So, often, I was burning the midnight oil for nothing.
Fast forward to a couple of years later.
As a manager, I didn't want my consultants to fall into the same trap.
I knew if consultants didn’t sleep well, they would become dumber. And I didn't want to have dumb consultants on my teams.
That’s why I used this simple trick.
I used to have evening check-outs with my teams. On them, I challenged consultants on why they had to work past 8 pm.
You know what, in most cases, there were no good reasons for working late.
Well, your manager might know this trick or not care if you work long hours.
But you can use this trick yourself.
Do your own evening check-outs.
Be honest and practical.
Challenge yourself whether you really need to work late.
Working long hours shouldn’t be your automatic solution to all problems.
Remember, consulting isn't a physical job where you win by throwing in more hours.
It's intellectual, where the quality of your ideas matters more.
Good ideas come from a well-rested mind.
So, take care of yourself. Don't burn out.
It's your responsibility to protect your most valuable asset - your brain.
So, next time you're tempted to work past midnight, ask yourself:
Is it really necessary, or am I being insecure?
The consulting journey is complex and treacherous.
Walking it alone is extremely difficult. It’s helpful to have the support of someone experienced who has gone through this journey and helped many others.
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