Prioritizing Wellbeing During Peak Season

During a particularly grueling due diligence project, the team was working 14-hour days for three weeks straight. I noticed signs of burnout: increased errors, irritability, and declining morale. As the team lead, I knew that maintaining this pace was unsustainable and would lead to a lower-quality deliverable for the client. I initiated a 'Non-Negotiable Reset'—we agreed that from 6 PM to 8 PM, everyone would disconnect to have dinner or exercise, and we would reconvene if necessary afterward. I also re-prioritized the task list, identifying 'low-impact' items that could be deferred. I communicated this transparently to the Partner, explaining that we were focusing our energy on the critical path to ensure the highest quality for the client. The result was a refreshed team that caught a major error in the final hours that we likely would have missed if we were exhausted. This experience taught me that at Deloitte, 'Take Care of Each Other' is not just a slogan; it’s a strategy for high performance.