In this short podcast, Bryan talks about how to deal with too much at work and in life. He gives some practical tips to help you when you feel overwhelmed.

One of the best ways to get ahead is to wake up early, exercise, get sunlight, stay hydrated, eat healthy, and get enough sleep. Taking care of yourself and giving yourself ample opportunities to set your mind and body up for success can ensure that you have the energy to tackle the challenges at work and in other areas of your life.

When you're in the middle of an overwhelming mix of tasks, it helps to take a small break and take some deep breaths. Some people take smoke breaks. Once you have an opportunity to step back and clear your head, try to document all of the things you need to do. You can use a Google Doc with the help of ChatGPT to lay everything out. Once you have all of your tasks in front of you, pick 3-5 things that must get done today and then use your calendar, silence your notifications, and use all the tools at your disposal to focus on those things.

Perfectionism and people-pleasing can also get in the way of achieving all of your tasks. You have to be able to accept work that isn't perfect and say no to meetings or unnecessary tasks. You can use tools like Loom to document quick notes instead of holding a meeting. When you can't avoid meetings, try to batch them all at once. Batching, delegating, and automating tasks also come in handy, especially before tasks pile up and spiral out of control.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 6th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

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Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android

In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about fire sprinklers and how to avoid setting them off on job sites.

Fire sprinklers have an element in the center that expands when exposed to heat (like a TXV sensing bulb) and breaks the glass. When the glass breaks, the fire sprinkler starts pouring out water. In some cases, fire sprinklers are linked to a larger fire suppression system in which several may go off at once, but most of the time, only a single fire sprinkler will go off if bumped or exposed to heat.

If you're using torches or doing any form of hot work in a closet or other location with a fire sprinkler, make sure to keep torches away from the heat-sensitive bulb or at least cover the sprinkler with a wet rag (and follow your company's guidelines). Blunt force is another possible issue, so we want to avoid hitting the sprinklers with lifts, ladders, or building materials like studs. Keep clearances in mind, and watch out for your colleagues.

You can get some specialty-built cages to protect the sprinklers, but awareness is one of the best ways to protect fire sprinklers. If possible, make sure signage is posted or that you alert other people in the area about the fire sprinklers.

If the fire sprinkler does go off, make sure you can quickly reach the person(s) who can access the fire shutoff or direct you to the fire shutoff. While fire sprinklers won't pose much of a personal safety hazard, property damage is a major concern. Training and awareness are the keys to preventing property damage due to fire sprinklers.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 6th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android