Ah, July 4th — the one time of year when it’s perfectly acceptable to eat your bodyweight in burgers, drink like you’re 22 again, and light things on fire in the name of freedom.
Contractors know how to do this holiday right: racing to finish jobs, making last-minute supply runs, and promising your spouse this time you won’t come home sunburned.
Then the weekend hits — a blur of road trips, BBQs, fireworks, cold drinks, and regret. Let’s not forget America’s greatest sport: Joey Chestnut eating 70 hot dogs in under 10 minutes. If that doesn’t inspire some overindulgence, nothing will.
Now it’s the day after. Your back hurts, your stomach’s rebelling, your phone’s blowing up with clients, and you vaguely remember losing a cornhole tournament to your brother-in-law. Welcome to the contractor’s post–holiday reality.
The good news? You’re not alone. The better news? Here’s your survival guide to getting back on the job site like a pro:
Step 1: Hydrate Like It’s Your Job If you drank more beers than waters, congrats — you’re dehydrated. Start your comeback with a big bottle of water (bonus points for electrolytes or lemon + sea salt). Think of your body as a sunbaked piece of drywall. Time to rehydrate.
Step 2: Eat Like a Grown-Up (At Least for Today) Nobody’s judging the 7 hot dogs you crushed on Thursday. But skip the greasy breakfast sandwich — go for fruit, oatmeal, or eggs. One decent meal can power you through a rough Monday delivery or rooftop install.
Step 3: Stretch It Out After a weekend of beach chairs and hammock naps, your joints are one wrong move from mutiny. Five minutes of stretching goes a long way — touch your toes, roll your shoulders, do some lunges. Your back will thank you.
Step 4: Triage the Phone Chaos Voicemail full? Texts piling up? Prioritize:
- Emergency site issues
- Job scheduling
- Tire-kickers & quote requests
Don’t try to solve everything before lunch — handle what matters, delegate the rest.
Step 5: Clean Out the Truck There’s probably a Doritos bag, firework shell, and maybe a rogue six-pack in your cab. Clean it out, restock, and start fresh. Nothing beats a clean truck to make you feel like you’ve got it together.
Step 6: Don’t Overcommit Clients are eager, but pace yourself. Better to finish 3 jobs well than leave 5 half-done and deal with angry calls by Friday.
Step 7: One Word — Nap If you can swing a 15-minute power nap during lunch, do it. You’ll reset your brain, ease that stiff neck, and survive the safety meeting without zoning out.
Step 8: Laugh About It The sunburn will fade. The memories (and embarrassing stories) will last. Trade weekend war stories with the crew — it lightens the load and makes the week ahead a little more bearable.
And When It Comes to Protecting Your Business — Call BGES Group
At BGES Group, we don’t just insure contractors — we get contractors.
For over 35 years, we’ve protected tradesmen across New York and the Tri-State area. Whether you’re framing homes in Westchester, climbing rooftops in Jersey, or pouring foundations on Long Island — we’ve got the coverage you need.
We specialize in:
- General Liability
- Umbrella Liability
- Workers’ Compensation
- Builders Risk
- Custom Construction Insurance Programs
We know your risks because we work with contractors like you every day. While we can’t promise your back won’t hurt after the next long weekend, we can make sure you’re covered when it matters.
📞 Gary Wallach 📱 914-806-5853
Serving NY, NJ, and CT — and nationwide through our associate partners.
Work hard. Play hard. Insure smart. Call BGES Group.