Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Dean Aspects on December 07, 2009, 12:37:19 pm
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With all this bad weather i am upto 3 weeks behind with some of my work even this morning only got a hour done before the heavens opened
Been doing this job for years and have always had targets to help with motivation but at the moment they dont seem to be working feeling lethargic and dont care wether i get the work done or not dont care if i lose work
Think i might sell up and start another round in a new area or even do another job altogether
What do you all use for motivation as i am suffering here :-\
The usual holiday/new vehicle etc targets are not working
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weather gets us all abit frustrated especially the last few weeks.ever thought of selling a bit of ur round off and trimming it a bit?.sometimes its better for ur piece of mind rather than struggling on with it!xmas tips and xmas usually gets me motivated.it varies fromm day to day.today im sorting flat and present wrapping,collecting later then food shopping.then ready for the weeks onslaught!most custys under stand that we re late getting round in winter though 2 wks late is usually the latest i am!i work in the rain sometimes though.
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also i work on saturdays most weekends in winter even if its only 3-4 hours!
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i know how you feel dean, am lucky to have a night shift security job where i am allowed to sleep, so i can still do my w/c during the day, and still earn good steady wages, i pre warn all my custies when winter comes in, i could be a week behind, and they where all understanding, and the weather this week is all bad :'(
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im getting a kicking at the mo; 1 custys cancelled says i dont go often wanted them doing
evry 3 mths.
one never seen me payed by post all the time 1st time she sees i clean them wfp bye bye
must be a dec thing worst one ive had in this job my 10 th year as well ???
it just goes like that some times its on fire next mo evrythings turning to crap.
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With all this bad weather i am upto 3 weeks behind with some of my work even this morning only got a hour done before the heavens opened
Been doing this job for years and have always had targets to help with motivation but at the moment they dont seem to be working feeling lethargic and dont care wether i get the work done or not dont care if i lose work
Think i might sell up and start another round in a new area or even do another job altogether
What do you all use for motivation as i am suffering here :-\
The usual holiday/new vehicle etc targets are not working
get a lad in on a part time basis to help you catch back up...ps I wouldn,t worry too much about yr punctuality, were all probably a couple of weeks behind at the moment, its just the nature of the beast
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i know how you feel dean, am lucky to have a night shift security job where i am allowed to sleep, so i can still do my w/c during the day, and still earn good steady wages, i pre warn all my custies when winter comes in, i could be a week behind, and they where all understanding, and the weather this week is all bad :'(
chubb? i used to work nights for them, but you had to wake up on the hour every hour,to ring in ,prove you were still alive . at least windows doesnt drive u mad , i always remember a security guy who paced up and down a small corridor for his whole night shift,sweating like a horse , sad really
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Hi Dean, I know how you feel mate.. this is at the end of the day a very repetitive and dull job, you are bound to get fed up with it from time to time! I am seriously thinking of selling off part of my round, and just keeping the cream of my work. And then using the money to set up a couple of other small businesses which are totally unrelated to cleaning, so that I am not spending all day everyday cleaning windows and slowly going brain dead!!! :-\
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got my ipod on all day that seems to keep me going
and i am trying to learn greek for when i retire 8)
but its hard these days to keep it togeather
touch wood we are not behind at all yet ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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i also find listening to music helps me work some days when theres not a soul around and its wet!ive got a little mp3 player with 400 songs on playing at random.never had a" not today" while singing on the job!! ;D ;D
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Hi Dean, I know how you feel mate.. this is at the end of the day a very repetitive and dull job, you are bound to get fed up with it from time to time! I am seriously thinking of selling off part of my round, and just keeping the cream of my work. And then using the money to set up a couple of other small businesses which are totally unrelated to cleaning, so that I am not spending all day everyday cleaning windows and slowly going brain dead!!! :-\
I have been thinking of setting up another business not w/c related because of the dull monotony i think selling off part of my round is the best idea someone has actually already offered to buy some of it so i might just take him up on the offer
And thanks for the comments guys they have been helpful i felt a bit stupid putting this thread on here but you took it serious and have helped
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i've too had enough of this weather really down at the moment the whole years has been rubbish snow at the beginning not the sunniest of summers and now this rain glad i re trained this year and have branched out into office cleaning
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I think only you can answer whether you should give up altogether as only you jnow if you can afford to financially etc
but i do think this time of year does make people lose motivation a bit, my brother in law has always been a really good cleaner, very consistent and hard working and hes fed up
ive been struglling too, been finishing early alot.. but it passes, just got to keep going and you will plough through it ready for spring, aim to get a certain figure for xmas then take a bit of time out and ready for new year, if you want to stay in windows that is
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I've suffered with motivation problems for years, but in no order of priority, here's a list of things that have honestly improved my motivation, which has been on an all time high for a good few months now:
1. Stopping drinking. I drank far far too much and hangovers aren't conducive to a good days work; I'd take days off or finish work for the flimsiest of reasons; so I just don't drink anymore.
2. Getting organised. When I finish cleaning windows, I don't finish work; I prepare everything for the next days work so I have very little to do when I get up.
3. Sleep! I'm always in bed before midnight.
4. Meditation. Believe it or not this helps. If I'm working by myself and start feeling tired, normally around 2.00 pm, I'll find somewhere quiet and meditate for 10 to 15 minutes. When finished I feel really refreshed and ready to go again.
5. Fitness. I don't go overboard, but I'll run two-or-three times a week; just a few miles.
6. Make more money. When I was constantly skint due to lack of motivation, I wasn't motivated to go out and earn (strange though that may seem). But now I'm making a good wadge, I just want to get out and add to it.
Anyway, that's an honest appraisal of what keeps me motivated, and as I type, I'm really looking forward to getting my fat ass out of the door tomorrow morning and earning some more.
This is really the best job in the world (apart from being a porn star and some other daft stuff).
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bet thats a funny site ..customer comes home looks out her back window see tosh sitting meditating like little budda... :D
Well I don't do it on their back patio do I? That would be daft. I naff off in my car to somewhere quiet; its fairly rural round here, so that's not difficult. :P
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This is really the best job in the world.
No its not!! The best job in the world is... doing something that you love to do, and that you are passionate about!! Unfortunately I don't love cleaning windows, and I'm certainly not passionate about it!!! :-\
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Hi Dean, I know how you feel mate.. this is at the end of the day a very repetitive and dull job, you are bound to get fed up with it from time to time! I am seriously thinking of selling off part of my round, and just keeping the cream of my work. And then using the money to set up a couple of other small businesses which are totally unrelated to cleaning, so that I am not spending all day everyday cleaning windows and slowly going brain dead!!! :-\
I have been thinking of setting up another business not w/c related because of the dull monotony i think selling off part of my round is the best idea someone has actually already offered to buy some of it so i might just take him up on the offer
Good luck with that Dean, keep us informed.. I would be very interested to know how your other non wc business ideas workout. I'll let you know about mine when I test the water with them early next year!! :)
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i have been installing a bathroom and shower to day ;)
i cant wait to get back cleaning in the morning,nice and steady, no leaks(not that i have many) no bending ,no aches in my knees, arms,no missing pieces,no changing of plans(lets tile the floor,now i have to raise everything by an inch) not cover in dust and bits
the grass always looks greener on the other side but is it? ???
just been to my friends house does a shed load of work for a company working in schools,they have just informed him all invoices will now be paid 60/90 days not the usual monthly his got nothing coming in till jan at the earlist,his got to borrow of his mother to pay people
no give me windows
bob
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i do think its the best job in the world....for me!!im unemployable!the freedom and flexibility plus half decent money,fresh air.i wouldnt want to do anything else!!tosh are u my long lost brother?i wholeheartedly agree with ur motivational post except i go swimming instead off running! ;D ;Dglass half full here.......with diet coke!!! ;) ;)
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i do think its the best job in the world....for me!!
If you love cleaning dirt off windows, and thats your passion.. then your right.. it is definately the best job in the world.. for you!! ;)
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i do think its the best job in the world....for me!!
If you love cleaning dirt off windows, and thats your passion.. then your right.. it is definately the best job in the world.. for you!! ;)
Groundy, you sound like you feel you're a little too good to be cleaning dirt from windows!
I can't think of a job - given my skills (and I've a few) - that I would rather do. I've got my C + E (HGV 1) and if ever I come to a point where I can't clean windows because my joints are knackered, then I'll drive trucks. I've also got some accountancy qualifications and office manager type stuff; an NVQ 3 in Supervisory Management; I've also been trained as a computer network manager - but I just couldn't face working in an office again to be honest.
I've got a friend (ex forces) whose offered me a job on the oil rigs, good money but I don't fancy all that time away, and I could easily get a job at the Defence Procurement Agency through the Forces 'old boys' network; an ex boss of mine whom I keep in contact with holds a good position there. But office work isn't for me anymore.
So for me, working as a window cleaner - given the freedom this allows me - is the best job in the World!
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i used to play a lot of drums in various bands for years.now that was a good job til ur shifting all the gear at 1am in the morning! ;D ;D
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If Christmas cant motivate you then nothing will lol,
i take all the extra calls in december, i even offer a bottle of wine for successful recommendations,
picked 33 customers up since mid november, with chatting and asking, and 60 leaflets.
Its the time of year when you are winding down to christmas (in your mind)
weathers horrid , dark early, etc.
Think of the good things and what you have achieved by being driven.
And drive on. ;D
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i do think its the best job in the world....for me!!
If you love cleaning dirt off windows, and thats your passion.. then your right.. it is definately the best job in the world.. for you!! ;)
Groundy, you sound like you feel you're a little too good to be cleaning dirt from windows!
Not at all!! window cleaning got me out of a job that I hated, and I love it for that! but its not something I'm passionate about!! I'm just saying that I want to try some other stuff as well, so I'm not cleaning windows 8 hrs a day, 5 days a week for the rest of my life! I certainly don't want some ponsy job with a fancy title, I'm not impressed by that sought of thing!
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groundhog
not seen you around for a while
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i used to play a lot of drums in various bands for years.now that was a good job til ur shifting all the gear at 1am in the morning! ;D ;D
get a roadie ,most drummers like a drunken octopus lol ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Weather has been rotten just recently. Keeping my motivation up by redecorating every room at home when the weather's bad. Only need one more crap week of weather and I'll have finished decorating ;D Was gonna do it over Xmas but looks like I'll have the hols to do as I please. :)
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Motivation can be a problem in winter, short days, bad weather etc. I think it's worse when you've been wfp for a long time as it doesn't exite you anymore, it's just cleaning windows! Buying new tools helps a bit but I've got the best poles, best trad gear etc. Only thing left that will give me a semi is a new van! Like the idea, just not paying for it! :D
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Motivation -- book a holiday
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Motivation -- book a holiday
Have to agree with Matt on this, booking a holiday feels like taking a weight of your shoulders then gives you something to work forwards.
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groundy who says you have to be out 8 hrs a day 5 days a week cleaning windows, it aint a full time job you are in although you are making it sound like it is, ffs you are self employed, and you can come and go as you please, its the only job that i can think of that can be done around your own hours, not anyone elses, if you opened up a shop, you would be worse off, if you opened up a garage, you would be worse off, so what else do you want from life?? FFs just look at your round, cut it down and live a bit. You are making this job out to be something horrid, it could be a hell of alot worse, i wouldnt for instance want to clean toilets out or poop of pavements etc, we are only cleaning windows and getting paid for it so please have a think before saying too much on here or other new guys like myself may not take it with a pinch of salt ;D
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I have just been through 4 years of very low motivation,
Usual stuff set it off, divorce, finances, blah blah blah,
I have now turned a corner and am really enjoying the job again.
I made a decision to deal with it but realized it can’t be done in one go, so I began by setting very small targets and NOT looking ahead to far.
Deal with the here and now and worry about the rest when it gets here, I also realized that a lot of the things I did daily were affecting how I felt so I dealt with them one by one.
Simple things can make a huge difference; I used to drink a bottle of wine every night and stay up till midnight. No problem or so I thought but by cutting it down to 2 small beers made me sleep better and affected my performance the next day 100%.
Lots of simple little things add up.
I now set small goals as habit and bigger goals seem to just follow,
For the first time since 2005 I now work evenings on the pc making changes to the business, work weekends on equipment, and I actually look forward to Monday morning.
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I have just been through 4 years of very low motivation,
Usual stuff set it off, divorce, finances, blah blah blah,
I have now turned a corner and am really enjoying the job again.
I made a decision to deal with it but realized it can’t be done in one go, so I began by setting very small targets and NOT looking ahead to far.
Deal with the here and now and worry about the rest when it gets here, I also realized that a lot of the things I did daily were affecting how I felt so I dealt with them one by one.
Simple things can make a huge difference; I used to drink a bottle of wine every night and stay up till midnight. No problem or so I thought but by cutting it down to 2 small beers made me sleep better and affected my performance the next day 100%.
Lots of simple little things add up.
I now set small goals as habit and bigger goals seem to just follow,
For the first time since 2005 I now work evenings on the pc making changes to the business, work weekends on equipment, and I actually look forward to Monday morning.
sounds like you are now in a good place well done to you
I think you are right about concentrating on the small things instead of focusing on the big things
Feel better today as i have done a full days work what a difference a day makes it was the end of the world yesterday today not feeling sorry for myself
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I have just been through 4 years of very low motivation,
Usual stuff set it off, divorce, finances, blah blah blah,
I have now turned a corner and am really enjoying the job again.
I made a decision to deal with it but realized it can’t be done in one go, so I began by setting very small targets and NOT looking ahead to far.
Deal with the here and now and worry about the rest when it gets here, I also realized that a lot of the things I did daily were affecting how I felt so I dealt with them one by one.
Simple things can make a huge difference; I used to drink a bottle of wine every night and stay up till midnight. No problem or so I thought but by cutting it down to 2 small beers made me sleep better and affected my performance the next day 100%.
Lots of simple little things add up.
I now set small goals as habit and bigger goals seem to just follow,
For the first time since 2005 I now work evenings on the pc making changes to the business, work weekends on equipment, and I actually look forward to Monday morning.
CBT?
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Neil, well done fella. It sounds like your doing some good advice that was suggested to me. Just live life one day at a time (have a read of Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now to find out how to really do this) and just keep doing the next right thing in front of you.
That got me safely through a rough patch.