Let’s be honest: With the state of our politics, how stretched out every business owner is, the uncertainty of costs and other irritations, fears and issues that demand our attention bandwidth, it can be easier than ever to lose our temper on inconveniences or become apathetic. I get it.

I am juggling launching a brand-new event with the haunted hayrides in October (with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick), relaunching the Midcoast Tree Festival in November (with All Saints Parish and Spectrum Generations), expanding our Connecting to Tomorrow workforce internships (with United Way of Mid Coast Maine and all four high schools — Brunswick, Mt. Ararat, Morse and Richmond) and doing all of the other chamber activities, like our networking events, advocacy education, marketing programs and so much more. I find, at times, very predictable that things are ticking me off.

This week, I want to address some of those issues, recognize the effects of those annoyances, but then work on accepting them with some unsolicited advice. Let’s take a look at a few things that people have brought up to me at our recent networking events and talk through them.

Complaint: What is up with this traffic?

Even living in a region where traffic gets busy in the summertime due to Route 1 bottlenecks, the Wiscasset bridge and large employers having shift changes, the result of the Frank J. Wood bridge traffic flow has been more than many anticipated this week. They gave us ample notice of the traffic changes, and despite knowing 15,000–19,000 vehicles per day travel over that bridge, we collectively (based on feedback I have heard) were not prepared for the heaviness of the traffic.

I think it is absolutely fair to comment on it and even be a bit frustrated by it. However, we also must recognize that these type of projects that get delayed and postponed because citizens and government professionals realize the inconvenience and pushback they will receive, and so these essential infrastructure projects do not get done. Regardless of when we do these, though, they will always delay us, but the longer the wait, the more the maintenance time there will be. 

The first key point to remember is this will make for a safer bridge, and thankfully, this work started before something tragic happened on the old bridge that would have impacted our community to a greater degree.  Second, much like the sidewalks in downtown Brunswick, once the work is done, pedestrians will be safer and we’ll have better looking infrastructure that, with proper maintenance schedules, will last us decades.  Businesses are attracted to communities that show they’re investing in their infrastructure, and people want to move to communities where investments are happening.

In the short term, what can you do to alleviate this frustration and help local businesses? First and foremost, make a plan to leave earlier for your destination if you are passing though Cook’s Corner, Pleasant Street or the Topsham Connector anytime from 2:30-6 p.m. Employers, perhaps allow employees who must get to day care pickups and such to leave a bit earlier for the next three months if this traffic will make it stressful and difficult for them. 

Finally, for the downtown Brunswick businesses, Cook’s Corner businesses and Bowdoin Mill complex businesses in Topsham, perhaps make them a higher consideration for a few months when thinking of where you want to patronize. An extra takeout order or shopping trip you make during the times when travel is easier might make the difference of them having a successful year.

Complaint: I don’t have time to attend …

This is a common refrain I hear when business leaders explain why they missed a chamber event, or why they didn’t attend a community event. Parents who work often have school activities or sports to attend or drive their kids to, and after-work or even lunchtime events can be hard to attend. 

There are a few ways to go about this to make some change. First off, you don’t have to be the business leader who attends. Start inviting your leaders of tomorrow to attend the local event, volunteer or to network in your place. These leaders of tomorrow are people in your organization who likely need to build their networks and engaging them now will make them more likely to engage in the future. 

Second, and I know this may sound harsh, but protect the events you want to attend in your schedule just as aggressively as you would protect a doctor’s appointment. That may sound severe, but pre-pandemic, many business leaders would say, “I can’t do a meeting then, I have a chamber event I’m attending.” Connecting with your neighbors, colleagues and business partners is as important for our social health as it is the health of our business, so commit the time and protect it. 

Complaint: I’m so tired

Yup. Being understaffed, overstretched and distracted makes all of us tired. Though our internship program enrollment, we can help businesses with the understaffed and overstretched part of that, but here are a few tips for distraction (aka, the attention-bandwidth issue).

• If you are doing the job of multiple people, do not expect you will be able to do both jobs to 100% effectiveness. You are one person; give yourself grace.

• Not every email needs to be returned within the hour you saw it. You can set a time in your calendar to return emails twice per day.

• The games on your phone are meant to be distractions when you need a break. If you are staying up at night to complete the daily challenge or the special level, that shouldn’t overrule sleep. No one’s obituary will list their Candy Crush scores or their consecutive days playing Wordle.

• Finally, remember, on days that you can only give 80% due to illness, distraction or whatever, and you give 80%, you gave 100% of what you had that day. Don’t beat yourself up for not having the additional 20% you typically have. 

Cory King is executive director of the Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber of Commerce.