Local Workers Balance Heavy Workloads During Busy Summer

While many people throughout the country view summer as the season of vacations, rest, and relaxation, many Mt. Hood Villages residents are feeling the exact opposite. Tourism is a prevalent and important part of the economy from Sandy to Government Camp, with most residents in the corridor having careers in the service industry. Pile on the added traffic and extreme number of visitors in such small areas, and the overwhelming feelings of financial success and mental and physical exhaustion are constantly at war.

Contrary to out-of-towner’s beliefs, summer season has notoriously been the busiest season in terms of traffic and business. And while the bank accounts and businesses flourish, the weight of the stress, exhaustion, and few down days to rest can make many service industry professionals feel the gloom of burnout.

“In summer I can work anywhere from 35-50 plus hours a week,” El Burro Loco server, Barbie Drake,said. “There has been a lot more business for us this summer, especially since we freshly re-opened last summer,” Drake added. Sharing her sentiments throughout the industry, many Mt. Hood Villages restaurants, bars, and coffee shops are feeling the surplus foot traffic as well as sales. The booming summer business is a welcome relief to many business owners, bartenders, and servers who experience the struggle of slow seasons in the fall and spring, but constant physically-intensive movements for hours on end can sometimes have a negative impact on the body. According to local physician Dr. Douglas Lyon, it’s important to listen to your body and practice good physical care during these busy seasons. “It’s important to set limits; we are only human,” Lyon said. “It’s important to keep our good habits: Diet, exercise, and friends. Also avoid compensating with habits that are less than healthy,” Lyon added.

Managing the workload and constant customer demands can have lasting impacts on the body no matter what the season. Understanding how to direct stress and focus on downtime when it’s allotted is huge when it comes to the intensity of summer business. “Managing stress is an everyday thing,” Drake said. “I try to read or watch something to get my mind off things. One thing to remember is work is work and home is home,” Drake said. 

While humans have become predisposed to be in constant work mode, regardless of what the body may be saying, it is important to take the down time and rest. “Our lives in the 21st century are more stressful. We too often work to try to do too much, to pack in too many things, to go beyond what is natural for our minds and bodies,” Lyon said. “This is especially true when in a job that is front facing, one where our mission and our goal is public service. When the tidal wave of work, of need, is too long and too high, we can develop coping mechanisms that are not very functional and stress reactions that last well beyond our work course,” Lyon added.

As another busy summer season comes to a close and businesses prepare for the slow season, always remember to keep kindness and compassion in every interaction you have with your server, bartender, or barista. Chances are they’ve seen many customers over the last several months and are eager to get back to basics, like bantering with locals, sharing stories of summer survival, and the calmness the rainy season can bring.