[mick hay]

Im at the position now where i can start to employ and grow. I have window rounds, but really target add ons.
I am working 6 days a week, windows til about 2pm, then onto a connie or g/s/f or UPVC clean.

last Xmas i came of anti depressants and don't think this has anything to do with the way i feel at the moment.

Financially, i am very solvent due to working bloody hard.

For the last few weeks, every day really is a chore. A couple of weeks ago, i had a day off in the week. I have never done this.

I am near on ready, to kit out another van, employ canvassers and cleaners and start the ball rolling.

 BUT............Just fed up!!!

So, anyone else get like this?  Really need a kick up the backside, as the expansion really is a non fail operation so really, should be bouncing off the walls ready to go!

[Ian101]

I think you expecting too much from yourself .... that's a big workload .... taking the odd day off helps to keep you going and makes you stronger for the weeks ahead.

I give myself a little lee way sometimes like now ... done a hard last 10 days early starts / late finishes then canvassing on a Saturday so having a 10am start  will prob finish at 3pm instead of 4pm ... little things like this keep me going long term

[Ian101]

oh and stop your google Adwords in my area ............ that will reduce your workload 

[dazmond]

we all get like that at times mick although hardly ever for me these days as i dont work as hard as you.

my workload and days are more  measured.

mon-fri  (usually working 5-7 hours "on the glass" a day)

a few days off(sometimes a week)at the end of every month.

this prevents me from "burn out" and getting totally fed up with my business/workload.

i earn very well for a sole trader.certainly enough for me.i could earn more but at what price to my health/sanity?i also have other interests(playing drums in a band),chilling out with the missus and taking the dog on long walks in the countryside!

im off on holiday soon.ive booked a 5 star clifftop hotel in the algarve with health spa etc for a week so me and the missus can relax(she also runs her own business and runs around like a headless chicken most of the time).

im 43 mick(im sure your older?)and i couldnt work 6 days a week with add on jobs every day without ending up very tired and fed up after a few months.

to me its just not worth earning the extra money than i already get and giving up more of my precious time to work.

dont get me wrong i work hard but i seem to be more productive when i work at a steady pace 5 days a week doing 5-7 hours a day.

[dazmond]

we have band rehearsal on a wed night(4 hrs of drumming!) so im a bit tired today after 3 good days work(mon,tue,wed)but on a day like today(a bit windy and damp)ill still clean for 5 hours min "on the glass" time even if its 1030am-330pm(which it will be today).

no matter how im feeling i can clean for 5 hours a day.its easy so keeps me on schedule.

im lucky as ive built a very good round of regular customers all year round which pulls in a very good wedge with a few add ons in the spring/summer months.add ons can be a killer though if you have a lot of them booked in around your normal schedule.even with the lightest poles its easier to strain yourself with aching neck and shoulders.

better get off to work now!

have a good day mick!


best wishes


dazmond

[SeanK]

So what your really saying is you cant be bothered to expand but feel because your in the position to do so
you must be fed up.
Could it be that deep down  your happy where you are now and don't really feel the need to go any further.
I'm sort of in the same boat as yourself, I keep saying to myself that I don't need or want any more work but cant turn it down
even though I am fortunate enough not to need the work or the extra cash.
I have now got to the stage where I just cant keep up and have given up trying, need to sort this out quickly as I am turning
a job that I enjoy into a job that I'm starting to hate more and more.
I think you need to decide if expansion is something you really want and if not maybe think of lightening your workload
slightly.

 

[Mike #1]

Its all about striking the right balance and have time off , I dropped today because it was cold and horrible only got 4-5 hrs tomorrow so no big deal . Sun is now shinning but i am off out with the dog for an hour shortly .

You gotta love the money when your busy , But do want the stress of putting another van on the road you could continue to work flat out make loads of wad and retire a bit sooner .

But whats the point i would rather retire later and work happy , If i live that long who knows so therefore i enjoy life and been happy with my wife , although the dog generally takes priority

[deeege]

I find that having something to look forward to always helps to keep me motivated. Just had a long weekend in London (in a 5 star hotel with the mrs ) which really helped me to recharge and keep focused on the workload when I returned.

I'll be booking a 2 week beach holiday for the family for August which will be something to look forward to.

Also set short term and long term financial goals to keep your mind focused. I set a target every year to overpay on my mortgage by X amount per year and find it rewarding when I hit those goals.

Mainly though mick I'd consider slowing down a bit. If you are really doing a full gag/conservatory clean every day after 5-6 hours on the glass then I'd say you are heading for burnout.

[kempy]

Yep , I worked myself into trouble . Was sat in van once crying . But had no real problems apart from too much work etc .
Now I've binned every single problem customer , even if it was a £5 to £50  house .
This de-stressed me and gave me my mo-Jo back that I'm in charge of my work and not jumped up moaning custys .

Plus my son does loads of activities . And this is what makes me look forward to .

Work hard guys , but enjoy yourself more .

If you earn £15k a year or £100k a year , it's all about balance and enjoyment .

DONT LIVE TO WORK

[mike1986]

Who made your website M&M? Looks really good!

[Dave Willis]

Yep, fed up with it at the moment! Got all the work I want, new jobs too if I needed them, just can't be arsed to return the messages. It's boring monotonous work after all with nill job satisfaction. I've come home early with a bad case of hose taurettes - got to the stage that if I snagged my crappy, twisty loopy all season (my arse) hose one more time I'd probably resort to physical violence!
Knocked work on the head and will most likely go for a bike ride.

The older I get the less I want to do    Which is how it should be in my opinion.

[Nathanael Jones]

I find that having a hobby or three helps prevent burnout - - if your working all the time and only ever think about work all the time then you're going to get depressed about it no matter how much you're earning,... but if you've something to look forward to at the end of the day thats completely unrelated to work & that you genuinely enjoy, then it helps break up the monotony & de-stress.

You need to make time for you - and its not always easy to do,.. but it is important.

[Nathanael Jones]

That's one of mine.

Who made your website M&M? Looks really good!

[Mike #1]

That's one of mine.

Who made your website M&M? Looks really good!

Yup it is beat me to it their Nat 

[kempy]

Wise words
Seek a hobby
Mines - kids football and daughters swimming .
Make time for yourself .

[Jonny 87]

I'm kind of the opposite at the minute. I am only a wipper snapper though at the brand old age of 27.

I'm enjoying building the business, and working hard, and a big plus is that now the wife has cut down on her work hours to part time, so she's happy too. I'm working on the glass from  8:30 till about 5 ish (Monday-Friday),

Then I do commercial or early starts from 6:00am Saturday till 8:30am, then start again on Saturday afternoon with one or two extras like fsg or Conny cleans for a few hours.

I can feel when I need a rest or a break though and I will take a day off and just chill. Only happens every few months or so.

I've definitely found that you have to ditch any work you don't enjoy, or keep increasing the price untill your happy to do it.

Window cleaning is simple, and I'm simple so that's probably why I'm happy. 

[mick hay]

Thanks for all the replies!!!

I think I'm a victim of my own success really.  Been going 10 years now and always promised myself to take people on, but hate the fact that someone can undo all the hard work put in to build a good name by doing a crap job!

I have been back from being on the glass (no add ons today, need to catch up with paperwork) and within an hour have taken on £755 of new add on business.

I have over quoted all these jobs (3 jobs in total) however got them all.

I have a holiday booked in June for Thailand for 2 1/2 weeks. I have provisionally cancelled it because just too busy, but i think i need to make myself go and forget about the money i will lose if i do!!

[ChumBucket]

The business has taken control of you & you need to take it back. Work to live, not the other way round. Get rid or sell/pass on less lucrative work & keep just the cream. Work less for maximum profit & start to live again. I always remember this quote, it's very true- "there is only one success, to be able to live your life in your own way".  You decide.

[gavinb]

i feel like giving up at least 3 times a week lol

but then i think if i do i would ust end up working in a factory earning £300 a week instead of £200 + a day ( when i can be bothered to do that much ) usually average £150 to £180 .

[dazmond]

id go on the holiday mick if i were you!itll do you the world of good and just shift your entire schedule forward 2 and a half weeks.sod the money!by the sounds of it your doing very well anyway so go and enjoy all your hard earned money!

i tend to go away for a week  at a time abroad(or 10 days) a couple of times a year and a few long weekends.doing this doesnt get me falling too far behind with my work.