[PureClean Window Cleaning Ltd]

ive been having trouble motivating myself too, just the boredom of the job, etc. all i can recommend is as been said, some good tunes on the mp3. also only work 3 days if you can afford it. a good hobby, holiday, etc. ive decided to arrange a holiday to north wales soon, alton towers, gokarting, motocrossing. so ive got loads of cool things to look forward too. that should recharge my batteries.

i think it might be the weather weve been having, its like autumn the last few weeks.

at least we have the winter to look forward too. only 3 months til november! 

[TomCrowther]

I struggle with the boredom side and I'm not yet two years into it. I have tried to break things up and do gutters, power washing and and considering a move into carpet cleaning too. I thought this would stop me using the same muscles all the time and avoid the bad shoulders etc as well as being a bit more stimulating.
I don't use mp3's when working but have got one so might give it a go.
Reading the thread, it seems that it's a mental thing that you can overcome with practice. Certainly thinking about the positives can only help.

[weetot]

 I was like this 2 years into it and have now done it 28 years and need booking into some sort of mental institution.

I even bought a whirlwind squeegee just to break the monotony and sheer boredom.  Also bored of wfp now after 3 years of use.  Shall I carry on whining or have you had enough? cos I can carry on if you so require. 

[H S and Son]

Keep going 

[bobby p]

it reassures me that ive not read/heard  of any window cleaners  crashing and burning.

[weetot]

Ive even considered going for a couple of sherbets with SSWC, just to see if life's any different!

[GB Window Cleaning]

Do you not find that coping with the boredom of repetitive physical labour presents an interesting challenge in itself? 

Download talking books, pod casts, music; stick 'em on an mp3 and try that.

this is what i do! ive been listening to "the power of now" & "a new earth" for months now! love it!

[GB Window Cleaning]

20 Years in, 6 years WFP,  working around the Dorset / Devon border, scenery is still great, customers mostly great still enjoy the job.
I find the only way to really enjoy the job though is listening to something as you work otherwise I'd agree with the other comments that the repetition will drive you around the bend.
Invest in an mp3 player / A2DP Bluetooth Headset / Ipod etc and if your attitude is like me your working day is transformed from:
"Oh no! Not another day" to "Great I'll go and listen some music and clean a few windows!"

Music is good but I find comedy is better. Currently listening to the complete works of Tony Hancock in Hancock's Half Hour.
Awesome stuff and hilarious (other comedy is available this just works for me)

mate!!! ive been looking for some wireless headphones for a while now and i think youve just helped me out ! the wire on mine gets right on my nerves at times!!! thanks

[L.J.Thorpe]

You lot gotta be nuts.
I've been going over 20 years and love it.
Hours to suit.
Days off when I want.
Cash flow good.
Meet new people alot.
Get hungry just stop and eat.
Having a bad day, I go home.

Get a job in a shop or office then you'll really moan working for £6.50 per hour, having to book weeks in advance time off and looking at the clock for lunch and home time and if the boss is an a**hole ?

damn right!!! stop whining ....some of you dont know your born

[Tom White]

it reassures me that ive not read/heard  of any window cleaners  crashing and burning.

Hmmmm.  I know a couple who have.  We're a funny trade in that although we have some contact with our customers, generally we spend an awful lot of time with ourselves; and sometimes that's not always a good thing.

I'm surprised we don't have more spree killings and serial murders committed by window cleaners.

[bobby p]

it reassures me that ive not read/heard  of any window cleaners  crashing and burning.

Hmmmm.  I know a couple who have.  We're a funny trade in that although we have some contact with our customers, generally we spend an awful lot of time with ourselves; and sometimes that's not always a good thing.

I'm surprised we don't have more spree killings and serial murders committed by window cleaners.

So what did they go on to do? ( if necessary embellish the facts to say they retrained after a short period underneath the aRches , and became a head of a large banking institution )

[joshem]

I work with my brother and I'm really glad I do. I couldn't imagine doing this alone day-in-day-out. We're trad and it's nice swapping who does top floor and who does bottom floor. It's also nice psychologically knowing you only have to do half a house. It's the first job I've had working self-employed and I cannot imagine going back to working for someone else. The freedom is amazing and the money ain't 'alf bad either...

[BORBRYCE]

mate!!! ive been looking for some wireless headphones for a while now and i think youve just helped me out ! the wire on mine gets right on my nerves at times!!! thanks

Note.... The wireless phones will not receive radio, whatever make you buy. It is the wire that is the antenna so bear this in mind. Good for MP3 or what have you but the technology at present does not exist, as far as I know, to receive wireless radio via Bluetooth or similar.  

[Tom White]

Do you not find that coping with the boredom of repetitive physical labour presents an interesting challenge in itself? 

Download talking books, pod casts, music; stick 'em on an mp3 and try that.

this is what i do! ive been listening to "the power of now" & "a new earth" for months now! love it!

I'm so Zen, I make the Power of Now look like The Power of Then!

 

[H2GoKent]

MP3 player is a must.
Not just music cos that gets boring. The BBC does a great line in free Podcasts.
They've got the lot Politics, Sport, comedy, drama, history you name it.

I think we all feel like we can't be bothered sometimes, but that's just like any job. Least with this one no-one is breathing down your neck or chasing your sales figures, and the only annoying bloke I work with is me.
I deal with it by working really hard for a few days a week and rewarding myself with time off, usually Friday. So I look at my list and think 'Right get this done and I'm off'.
I used to work 50-60 sometimes 70 hours a week as a Rep. Nice car, nice job title, good wage and NO LIFE. I know what I prefer.
8 years in I still love this job

[EandM]

20 Years in, 6 years WFP,  working around the Dorset / Devon border, scenery is still great, customers mostly great still enjoy the job.
I find the only way to really enjoy the job though is listening to something as you work otherwise I'd agree with the other comments that the repetition will drive you around the bend.
Invest in an mp3 player / A2DP Bluetooth Headset / Ipod etc and if your attitude is like me your working day is transformed from:
"Oh no! Not another day" to "Great I'll go and listen some music and clean a few windows!"

Music is good but I find comedy is better. Currently listening to the complete works of Tony Hancock in Hancock's Half Hour.
Awesome stuff and hilarious (other comedy is available this just works for me)

mate!!! ive been looking for some wireless headphones for a while now and i think youve just helped me out ! the wire on mine gets right on my nerves at times!!! thanks

May I recommend the Sony MW600 headset. Works very well, if you have a Sony phone it auto pairs the bluetooth, if not it can be paired simultaneously with two bluetooth devices and has a built in FM tuner, so I have calls on one phone and music / comedy on the other. I got fed up with the wire as well!

[AuRavelling79]

At the mo' I have the incentive for the big push - it's all quite exciting.

But generally my domestic day goes in 4 stages:-

1) The first £65. If I am less than 2 hours in when I hit this figure then weather permitting I "know" I'll get the double ton.

2) £100. I want this 3 hours in but I want £125 by lunch at just before 1pm.

3) £150 If here by 2pm I can coast in as I'm getting tired and want to finish by 4pm.

4) £200 at 3.30 is nice - then one more house to pay for the fuel and grub.

It's strange - although I could do £250; if I do I just feel so knackered I have a cruddy day next day. So unless I'm off next day I try to get to £210/220 and go home.

It's a good feeling. And no, I don't manage it week in week out at 5 days a week.

[H S and Son]

It's strange - although I could do £250; if I do I just feel so knackered I have a cruddy day next day.

Ive conducted a number of experiments under 'controlled' conditions Malc, and this phenomenomenomenomenomenon occurs at varying intervals; depending upon at least one but not necessarily all of the following factors: your general level of fitness and durability, attitude and sense of well-being and ambition and/or your general level of fitness and durability, attitude and sense of well-being and ambition, and/or your general level of fitness and durability, attitude and sense of well-being and ambition, and/or your general level of fitness and durability, attitude and sense of well-being and ambition.

The tipping point (the point at which knackeredness is likely to set in at a premature moment in my working day) I believe for me occurs at approximately the £229.47p mark. 

[Frankybadboy]

It's strange - although I could do £250; if I do I just feel so knackered I have a cruddy day next day.

Ive conducted a number of experiments under 'controlled' conditions Malc, and this phenomenomenomenomenomenon occurs at varying intervals; depending upon at least one but not necessarily all of the following factors: your general level of fitness and durability, attitude and sense of well-being and ambition and/or your general level of fitness and durability, attitude and sense of well-being and ambition, and/or your general level of fitness and durability, attitude and sense of well-being and ambition, and/or your general level of fitness and durability, attitude and sense of well-being and ambition.

The tipping point (the point at which knackeredness is likely to set in at a premature moment in my working day) I believe for me occurs at approximately the £229.47p mark. 

that be after 2hrs for you then.

[AuRavelling79]

MATT - Good points.

I think it might be bisycolpscycologogogogoogogicle too. But being the wrong side of 50 I reckon its pretty cool.

Also I have a "treat" for a £200 plus day - I go to the nearest corner shop and see what choc or biccies are available for a pound or less.

Big bar of mint aero from the spar/co-op or a pack of jammie dodgers.

But ... if I do then I have to do a final house at top speed to burn off the calories!

I reckon I'm lazy OCD - too lazy to bother but too OCD to not bother - its a dichotomy I tell you!