re: "Mr. Jones: Point, Counterpoint"

Charlie at Undiplomatic ("dedicated to covering the intersection of foreign policy, global issues, U.S. politics, and pop culture") explains how the professionals do it.

Money quote(s):

"Late hours do not translate into chaos. The idea that his staff is sloppy or lazy or unprofessional is nonsense — they all are, without exception, experienced foreign policy professionals who have dedicated their lives to making the United States a better place. You may disagree with their vision, but do not question their professionalism (and for the record, I would make the exact same point about Bush’s White House staff)."

"(O)nly in Washington could someone putting in a twelve-hour day be considered a slacker. The White House is a hothouse culture that tends to reinforce certain behaviors that are not always useful. To put it another way, what is a strength — the ability to work long hours and produce results — can become a liability if it’s overused. Our bodies simply cannot sustain themselves on caffeine and adrenaline. Sooner or later performance will erode; the key is to keep enough in reserve so that, like a marathoner, you have the ability to give your best when it’s absolutely necessary."

&

"(T)here are times for hard work and long hours (and pizza), and there are times when it makes sense to keep a more regular schedule so that you’re rested when the crisis comes."

This is the individual equivalent of staying on "red alert" all the time. You simply cannot sustain a constantly heightened alert all the time, day after day, year after year. Something gives, and sometimes catastrophically.

The professionals know that when you're on a 24-hour alert, you set up shifts so that people aren't trying to work 24 hour days.