[jay moley]

Probably in the short term getting someone in for two days a week is the starting point.

Not sure how I'll manage the other three days tho based on recent performances.

Went out this morning and only did one job before having to come home. It's not good.

Even the need to provide for myself isn't motivating me.

I don't expect work to be great all the time and exciting etc. But I can't even tolerate doing this job right now. Every part of it makes me want to scream.

What do you particularly hate?

The physical cleaning?
The driving and parking?
Talking to customers who are in?
Being on your own?
The "paperwork"?
Something else?

When you go home after a short period of time for no "good" reason what do you do for the rest of the day?

To be honest I hate the actual cleaning: parking, getting the hose out, setting up, hose snagging, cleaning the actual windows. I don't mind talking to customers. Some company would probably help I guess.

Doing the admin at the end of the day is no problem or speaking to customers on the phone or by email/ text. Canvassing I enjoy.

If I don't go out I don't do much. I certainly don't enjoy it like its a holiday day or weekend off.

[windowswashed]

Burn out can run you down to the point of despising the job. Take time out and have a break from it, I do quite often. Work to live, not live to work.

[Stoots]

Do you have a history of depression ?

I felt like this a couple of weeks ago, completely fed up and was having all sorts of horrible thoughts, depressed to feck and felt like packing it in.

But this week i feel fine, full of energy and its not bothering me as much,

I go through these ups and downs a lot but looking back i always have as long as i can remember. So perhaps theres an underlying problem  ?

Better to be happy than rich, i find money doesnt really motivate me anymore.

[jay moley]

Burn out can run you down to the point of despising the job. Take time out and have a break from it, I do quite often. Work to live, not live to work.

I don't think its burnout as I've always worked roughly 6-7 hours a day on the glass, often less if I get the work done - mainly 4 to 4 and a half days a week. Rarely ill do 8 hour days.

I don't take many breaks or a lunch but the job doesn't challenge me physically. Mentally its destroying me.

[jay moley]

Do you have a history of depression ?

I felt like this a couple of weeks ago, completely fed up and was having all sorts of horrible thoughts, depressed to feck and felt like packing it in.

But this week i feel fine, full of energy and its not bothering me as much,

I go through these ups and downs a lot but looking back i always have as long as i can remember. So perhaps theres an underlying problem  ?

Better to be happy than rich, i find money doesnt really motivate me anymore.

I have bipolar and didn't work for 6 years due to the depression side of that condition.

I'm far from being in that place and overall Im really happy and grateful with life. I know that this isn't a change in my bipolar, its literally the job that's causing it. Depression via bipolar would be for no reason just depression showing up out of the blue.

Ive been stable for a long time mentally.

[richard connett]

Not sure however well meaning some people are,  that they know what depression is. Feeling low for an amount of time or for a specific reason is what some people call depression but also what a lot of us experience as life’s ups and downs . Nobody is feeling great all the time.  I would say real depression is having a chemical imbalance that makes it almost impossible to experience life like others and needs treating .
You should  try work out which one you have Jay. I’d hate to feel like that about getting up and going to work. It’s definitely a sign that you need to change something  or need to seek help about how your feeling.  It’s hard for anybody to advise you which way to go honestly, but It sounds like you’ve realised you need to make a change and that’s half of the battle. You’ve come on here being honest and that’s also hard , so just try something that make you happy. I wish you all the best

[richard connett]

Sorry just seen the last couple of posts. Bipolar I know a lot about as my mum has it and is in hospital currently with it.

[jay moley]

Not sure however well meaning some people are,  that they know what depression is. Feeling low for an amount of time or for a specific reason is what some people call depression but also what a lot of us experience as life’s ups and downs . Nobody is feeling great all the time.  I would say real depression is having a chemical imbalance that makes it almost impossible to experience life like others and needs treating .
You should  try work out which one you have Jay. I’d hate to feel like that about getting up and going to work. It’s definitely a sign that you need to change something  or need to seek help about how your feeling.  It’s hard for anybody to advise you which way to go honestly, but It sounds like you’ve realised you need to make a change and that’s half of the battle. You’ve come on here being honest and that’s also hard , so just try something that make you happy. I wish you all the best

Im not depressed in the true sense of the word or what the condition is but the job is getting me down in a big way. I just can't go on with it.

Life is too short to put up with anything that is causing you serious upset or anguish.

I know I will get out of this somehow. I've been through worse in my life but getting other cleaners points of view is valuable.

[jay moley]

Sorry just seen the last couple of posts. Bipolar I know a lot about as my mum has it and is in hospital currently with it.

Best wishes to the both of you. Ive spent time in those hospitals too.

[richard connett]

Thank you . I would say make the changes you have been thinking about .  Trust your instincts and go for it. 

[deeege]

Ive completely had it with this job. I posted a recent thread about it and have tried to soldier on but I really can't go on.

I'm having dark thoughts while out cleaning and to be honest I'd say im depressed.

I need to make a change but don't want to lose the business as it has good potential.

Does anyone run the business and do another job too?

I have no idea what else I could do either. My previous experience is in sales but part time sales jobs are paying £10 an hour.

Feel properly *&%(!~~~

if you really hate it you need to employ and get off the tools....its sounds to me you enjoy generating the work but dont like the actual cleaning side of it.....

im the opposite...i love being on the tools and out in the fresh air working on my own....no need for me to generate work myself as its self generating with no input/advertising from me....

today i worked 9am-230pm with 30 mins for lunch and was listening to the BBC SOUNDS podcasts on paul massey (salford gangster)called GANGSTER......really enjoyed the story of his life and it helps pass the time while cleaning.....

i NEVER feel like jacking it all in since i went WFP 11 years ago....ive got it too good in both earnings and hours worked these days.....

I listened to that podcast today too Daz, enjoyed it but thought the last episode was a bit of a letdown.

Sounds to me Jay you need to make some big decisions/risks to get yourself off the tools before you run your round into the ground.

Good luck however you go about it.

[robbo333]

Jay, sorry to hear that mate.

The only advice I can give, is you need to 'take a step back' (try and ignore your emotions) and look at your problem objectively, as if it were someone else's problem.

You say you enjoy the canvassing and people side, so do you want to grow the business? Would it help if a lad worked with you for a couple of days? You could then leave him to get on with each job while you canvass the street.

Do you want a completely different job? Tesco food delivery, postman, etc etc. You could rent your round out for 25%, or sell it even.

A friend of mine has put a second van on the road. He has given the guy all his work and takes a percentage.
My friend hates cleaning windows but he loves fsg cleaning and gutter clearing. He is putting out a lot of leaflets, which is keeping him fully booked with gutter clears etc. From the gutter clears, he also gets some of the regular window cleaning work, as well, building that side of the business at the same time.

I think whichever way you go, you need to make a decision fairly soon, for the sake of your business and your own wellbeing.

If you're having a real crap day, call me on 07850 262016, it'll make a change from talking about covid! 

[Granny]

I had a mate who used to feel the same.
Used to set off park up outside the job and break down crying  couldn't get out of the van, then turn back and go home feeling worse.
He was severely depressed.
His missus started going out working with him, they worked through it she dealt with the customers he concentrated on cleaning and didn't have to interact with anyone.
Try and get some company to work with you even if you have to pay them it could be worth it in the long run.
Could your missus change her job and work with you?

[Richard iSparkle]

I have to say it does sound like depression to me

Or burnout

Even if it doesn’t feel the same as a bipolar episode

[Ched]

OK so this may be really stupid but do you do many 'add ons'? ie. is a big part of the issue the window cleaning side of things? If it is maybe you could break things up by canvassing for more addons. i.e. get a pressure washer or maybe even some roof scrapers (hire a tower) then go canvassing and see if you can reduce the time on the glass and more on addons?
Maybe the variety would help?
Also as others have said an extra person to do some of the windows a couple of days a week would give you less time on the glass obviously financial penalties and legal paperwork issues but sort of changing from being purely on the glass to say 2 days a week on glass and the rest canvassing or doing add ons?

One thing is for sure, you have taken a good step realising there is something making you unhappy and have started to talk about it. Just being able to vent on here might help a little as you now know it's not only you.

[NWH]

Not being funny but add ons make me depressed. 

[richard connett]

Not being funny but add ons make me depressed.

I’m getting that way too about them!

[jonny thompson]

I’ve started doing a 4 day week, I do a bit more the 4 days, then weather permitting have Fridays off, I wish I had done it years ago

[Jay Le Huray]

I do a lot of add on jobs, anything between 4-5 jobs a week doing gutter and facia cleans.

A lot of them are recommended by a fellow WC and I much appreciate these jobs he passes onto me as I find it keeps  things fresh and keeps me motivated as well as earning more money.

It is so easy to become stagnant doing the same round/routine week after week so it's great to have a change and go to different houses and meeting different people. 

[NWH]

If you like em Jay you keep doing em m8 that’s what it’s all about being happy look at me I get called all sorts of swear words on here but I can take it,the chances are I’ll get banned for getting called names lol I think there’s a new change in the law next month if you get attacked you are the one that actually goes to prison 🤣🤣🤣🤣.