[Clive McDonald]

I was wondering of the wc's on here who have 'done better than the rest of us' how you spend your time?

I'm mainly window cleaning and then admin, no time for anything else, so i wondered how people have freed themselves up and what they actually do.
How many hours a day actually window cleaning? Admin? thinking about the business? disscusing with partner?quoting? Pitching? Getting accreditations? Training staff?


So how do you spend your time?

[Ryan @ Transparent, Carlisle]

at the mo window cleaning, 7-8 hours a day, mon-wed

about 2 hours collecting on a thursday evening, and 2 hours on a friday evening.

if i have the time, do about an hours admin on friday night.

Thursday & Friday i (try) to spend time canvassing, and doing other jobs gutter cleans fascia's etc...

and ALWAYS "thinking" about ways to improve the business, and future prospects

[gary999]

what do you class as successful 

im happy with what i do thats an success to me

so how are you measuring success

[Clive McDonald]

Sorry Garry999 i realised after i'd put it up that any one who replied might feel a bit pretentious.I wasn't meaning to dig at differing perspectives.

What i've found is that the job has physical limits.It's hard for someone keeping on top of five or six hundred customers to find much time for expansion.I rely on machines as much as i can but i'm still too whacked to have much humph.I just wondered how others have moved on.

[gary999]

Sorry Garry999 i realised after i'd put it up that any one who replied might feel a bit pretentious.I wasn't meaning to dig at differing perspectives.

What i've found is that the job has physical limits.It's hard for someone keeping on top of five or six hundred customers to find much time for expansion.I rely on machines as much as i can but i'm still too whacked to have much humph.I just wondered how others have moved on.

no probs wasnt offended at all

was just wondering from which perspective you were looking at it

[Moderator David@stives]

Hi Clive

on average 3 hours window cleaning per week and 112 hours working on the business.

I am not saying for one minute I am successful, but I know 100% I will be.

This year has been a major milestone in my business, I have picked up so much work my head cant keep up with it all.



IMO if you want to get where you want to be quickly, you have to get off the tools.

I am in a similar situation where I have to get out of the office dutys, I am getting bogged down with the trivial, when I should be thinking of the bigger picture.

As Duncan Bannatyne says there is no substitute for hard work, that is the biggest factor in any successful business, not luck, just plain old hard work.

[tom2009]

It was interesting to see that 'Twitter' has reached 20 billion 'tweets' recently. Apparently it took 4 years to reach 10 billion 'tweets' and then they did the next 10 billion in 5 months. It seems that when your business reaches a critical mass point things really take off. Sounds as though you have reached that point Dave.

[D woods]

Most of the successsful window cleaning / office cleaning contractors that I know seem to spend all their time playing golf.

[Craig Trevain]

I remember when i took on my first staff member, i was abit nervy as to wheather i'd have enough work, however it freed me up to get more, now i employ 23 staff, and are very busy, so its very hard to expand while working on the tools your self, the only danger is that sitting in office most of the week piles on the pounds so important to get to the gym too.....  which i must do at some point!

[Smudgeoff Cleaning Services]

I just want to be a success, I know it is going to be hard work etc but you guys on this forum help the small guys like me want to achive more.....

So Thanks to all......

[AuRavelling79]

Hi Clive

on average 3 hours window cleaning per week and 112 hours working on the business.I am not saying for one minute I am successful, but I know 100% I will be.

This year has been a major milestone in my business, I have picked up so much work my head cant keep up with it all.



IMO if you want to get where you want to be quickly, you have to get off the tools.

I am in a similar situation where I have to get out of the office dutys, I am getting bogged down with the trivial, when I should be thinking of the bigger picture.

As Duncan Bannatyne says there is no substitute for hard work, that is the biggest factor in any successful business, not luck, just plain old hard work.

So Dave - you mean that out of 168 hours in a week you spend 115 on your window cleaning business? 

So out of the 53 you have left, if you spend 7 hours a night in bed then that's 49 so you now have 4 hours a week, for meals, the three "S's",  work on your home,  relaxation, holidays etc etc.

Do you think you have the best balance Dave?

[Moderator David@stives]

Gold

I even work while i sleep, I also wake up in the night thinking about work,

 I also eat many a meal whilst working on the pc.

All I ever do is work, I spend the odd ten minutes posting here, but I see that as work as well.

I get to go out for a couple of meals a week, usually late and I pop a bottle of wine open at about 10.00pm a couple of nights, I am usually up at 6.00 am then back to the grindstone.

I wouldnt say it was balanced, but its not meant to be, the only way to get to where I am going is by putting the hours in.

[Tom White]

I wouldnt say it was balanced, but its not meant to be, the only way to get to where I am going is by putting the hours in.

Carl Jung said that each of us much realise that the goal each of us will reach is DEATH.

And you will never be at a plateau where you'll think , "This is it, I'm here...".

[gewindows]

Thats true Tosh, but the journey counts too.

[mark dew]

Dave i hope you're investing some of that cash in a good life policy.
What you're doing isn't sustainable. But your business name might live on?

ewan
 

[david watts]

whos carl jung?

[AuRavelling79]

Where are you heading Dave?

[mci services]

Where are you heading Dave?

hadrians wall at this rate

[G Griffin]

whos carl jung?

 Didn`t he sing Kung Fu Fighting?

[gary999]

Where are you heading Dave?

hadrians wall at this rate

to infinity and beyond!!

he wants to change his name to buzz lightyear!!