4:30am: the dreaded alarm sounds. I have to be honest – I have never been a morning person, and after 18+ years in the industry, I still hit the snooze button!

5:25am: My drive to work consists of listening to my morning cup of coffee:  The MFCEO Project or Ed Mylett Podcasts. These influencers have been my ‘go-to’ for positive thinking and doing for the past 2 years.

6:00am: Morning Stretches, review Successes and Challenges, and Debrief expectations of the day with staff. As a Water Services Manager, my role is to be a leader, a decision-maker and supporter of my staff and the work they do.

Each day is very different; I can be in the office and never come out or be in the field assisting the crews. Either way, I’m always laced up in my steel-toe boots. A manager should be able to perform the field work to the standards that he is requesting from his team; this helps the manager identify the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of the division.

3:20pm: Check in with everyone at the end of the day; make sure they are all leaving in a positive note and check if there is anything pending for the following day. Everyone leaves at 3:30 p.m., but I am usually plugging away at emails or on spreadsheets until 4:30-ish.

8:00pm – 12:00am: This is my time to work on course material and any special projects I’m involved in (for instance: writing my first book designed for water operator career advancement). The evening is also for reading management / personal growth books; my current book is “Relentless” by Tim Grover. I like to read a few pages each night as I think it is important to try and learn something new everyday. It keeps you humble, and continuous investment in yourself is how you grow in the short- and long-term.

You read it right – I live my weekdays off of 4 to 5 hours of sleep each night, but I make up for it on my weekends! This is something that I started doing about 2 years ago to get the most out of my days. I feel that it is important to fulfill your goals each day regardless of what time it is.

Growing as a person, manager, and entrepreneur is something I am focused and committed to for myself, my family and for my Industry.

5 Tips for a Career in the Water Sector

Steve Hernandez, currently serving as a Water Services Manager for the City of Watsonville, California, is also currently the acting Director of the Monterrey Bay Waterworks Association. Hernandez, who has been working in the water sector since 2000, is using social media to help other water operators working across the United States. Check him out at @WaterWisePro and read his recent article “5 Tips for a Career in the Water Sector”!