We're in the middle of that time of year where holidays and vacations are frequent. People up and down the construction supply chain are adding PTO to holidays to take extended periods of time off. Manufacturers, suppliers and a few contractors might even shut down for a week around Christmas. It doesn't happen all the time but it seems like there is a late change order or client request to get something done during this time when it seems like half the industry is off work. Even if half isn't off work, enough links in the supply chain aren't in place that it's difficult to get much done. As dutiful service providers, we contractors will scramble to keep things moving. We've all done our best to prepare reviews, due dates and vendor releases around this work dead zone but things often change. This means people sometimes work during their family time, poor schmucks that didn't take PTO and have no idea what actually needs to happen will try to pick up the slack, and when things can't be accomplished, we will beg for a few days of mercy or maybe a no cost time extension. Even if you get everything to align at work, you might still have quite a bit of work to do at home planning events, gift shopping, battling the decorations and smiling when a gift from Santa isn't quite what a kiddo wanted. As the Christmas holiday approaches get ready to have fun but brace for the likely event that work might mingle with the bell jingles. Merry Christmas!
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