[Johnny B]

When I lack motivation I may take a day off or work a couple of half days until I am back in the groove.

I love this business and don't take holidays, but even so, I recognize that there has to be some time away from work. In my cast it's a day off here and there.

John

[CleanClear]

Happened again today, started at 7am on an office clean then did 17 fronts but couldn't find the energy to do anymore so sacked the other 13 planned fronts off and was home for 12 which now means ill be playing catchup tomorrow on todays work as well as finding time to do some of last weeks!. Home, eaten and showered and now thinking what an idiot....i should have spent an extra few hours on the glass.
Im not going to allow it again! Man up time, catch up on everything this week doing a Saturday also so ready and back on track for Monday.  I dont usually lose my Mojo so will beat this lazy reckless attitude i have at present.

I'm the same Mick, i set off early get a big one under my belt, then get half way through some random run of the mill stuff and think..i've had enough, whats the point, i'm going home. Someone got me the book "power of positive thinking" for xmas, i havn't even read it, i couldn't see the point. I quite like coming home at midday 

[Tosh]

Is the work you find this happens on mostly is regular, week in week out, boring estate work?

[Frankybadboy]

i am having one of them days tomorrow, lol


so its of to the velodrome for a few hours,at least there no cars indoors 

[Ian101]

What do you guys do when you simply dont have the energy/dont need the money and find it so much effort to get the day done as no motivation to get it done? Me i simply go home and and say ill play catchup tomorrow which never happens, sometimes it can get me weeks behind, Motivation is lacking for me right now...need it to hurry back.

not been on here for a while and your post caught my attention as I have been there however mine turned into depression ... started windows 2010 and all good till about maybe early 2013 ish and started to slack off and do half days e.g. starting late / finishing early daft as it sounds pulling up to houses and not wanting to get out to work - thinking have 10 min rest which turned into an hour but this happened slowly so didn't notice it creeping up. Wages went down but still didn't bother my bum

Finally realised I was depressed or on a downer late 2013 after a trip to the doctor about something else and it all came out so took  anti depressant for 3 months then went on2 week holiday and binned the tablets on holiday as felt better.

Not sure why it happened but more than likely I didn't take my foot of the gas from day 1 of starting and grew a large round in a short time 0 to about 500 houses in 18 months or so but since 2014 felt a lot better bar the odd spell but can notice it when it starts to creep up and do something about it - since 2014 Ive been selling off my residential rounds bit by bit but it still kept growing but last year sold everything off bar about 50 houses and only take on commercial with the windows but have moved over to other exterior cleaning services so windows now a tiny amount of turnover.

The day to day monotony of residential window cleaning is what got to me - even very nearly went back to selling cars at one point but seen sense after a few interviews and comments from some on here soapy souter ... vin from perfect windows .. being 2 of them.

Time off is important and not bragging but just has 3 weeks in Australia for new year and most of jan - got back yesterday ... now rearing to go for 2017 with big goals which don't involve anything I know can set me off with the depression.

Not saying your depressed but its how it started for me - my advice is take stock / days off and decide if your enjoying your current business and if not do something about it - I tent to remember you enjoy canvassing and creating rounds.

good luck !

[Tosh]

 I've always said estate work, the repetitive nature of it, it's depressing. That's why I have sold a great deal of my estate work and try to do  a variety of work. You can  stick  your compact work where the Sun don't shine

[Mick Kent]

Im back in full swing, landed a big contract of internals thats ongoing for 3 months in the Midlands that i have 5 agency guys on so full steam ahead going for it.
Good start to the year.

[Dry Clean]

Had a similar experience to Ian and totally agree with Slacky.

[sunshine windows]

I have those days all the time. Mainly when I get home for lunch, I can't be arsed to go back out again so end up taking nearly 2 hours break.

I quite often only do the bare minimum required each day to make sure I just finish on schedule for the week, instead of just ploughing through the work to get it done. Most of my weeks I could have done in 3 days if I grafted harder.

I think we are all inherently lazy, it just depends if you can afford to get away with it or not. I'm not ambitious at all, so as long as I've got enough coming in to pay the bills and make sure we're financially sound, I'll do just as much as I'd necessary. The potential growth for this business or anyone else's is ridiculous, but I just can't be arsed to push myself that bit further to make it happen.

[Tosh]

+++1

[Stoots]

As above.

I tend to graft in the morning and by lunch time im thinking about going home.  I tend to drag my weeks work out over 5 days going home early, i keep saying ill do 3 long days and have done but just cant be bothered.

We are all designed by nature to be lazy, all we need is shelter and food, it stems from reserving energy for hunting.
The demands of modern society to work work work and achieve things goes against our design, we havent evolved quick enough to keep pace with the modern world, the brain is still very primative.

[dazmond]

I've always said estate work, the repetitive nature of it, it's depressing. That's why I have sold a great deal of my estate work and try to do  a variety of work. You can  stick  your compact work where the Sun don't shine

strangely i dont find it depressing at all.i like the familiarity of it,the customers(most of em!)and the sheer lack of stress.cash flow is usually good and a 5 min chat/laugh  and a coffee here and there helps the day along..........and just when i think im getting bored of it all my other works due(rural stand alones and clusters of larger domestic/commercial jobs)

[G Griffin]

What do you guys do when you simply dont have the energy/dont need the money and find it so much effort to get the day done as no motivation to get it done? Me i simply go home and and say ill play catchup tomorrow which never happens, sometimes it can get me weeks behind, Motivation is lacking for me right now...need it to hurry back.

not been on here for a while and your post caught my attention as I have been there however mine turned into depression ... started windows 2010 and all good till about maybe early 2013 ish and started to slack off and do half days e.g. starting late / finishing early daft as it sounds pulling up to houses and not wanting to get out to work - thinking have 10 min rest which turned into an hour but this happened slowly so didn't notice it creeping up. Wages went down but still didn't bother my bum

Finally realised I was depressed or on a downer late 2013 after a trip to the doctor about something else and it all came out so took  anti depressant for 3 months then went on2 week holiday and binned the tablets on holiday as felt better.

Not sure why it happened but more than likely I didn't take my foot of the gas from day 1 of starting and grew a large round in a short time 0 to about 500 houses in 18 months or so but since 2014 felt a lot better bar the odd spell but can notice it when it starts to creep up and do something about it - since 2014 Ive been selling off my residential rounds bit by bit but it still kept growing but last year sold everything off bar about 50 houses and only take on commercial with the windows but have moved over to other exterior cleaning services so windows now a tiny amount of turnover.

The day to day monotony of residential window cleaning is what got to me - even very nearly went back to selling cars at one point but seen sense after a few interviews and comments from some on here soapy souter ... vin from perfect windows .. being 2 of them.

Time off is important and not bragging but just has 3 weeks in Australia for new year and most of jan - got back yesterday ... now rearing to go for 2017 with big goals which don't involve anything I know can set me off with the depression.

Not saying your depressed but its how it started for me - my advice is take stock / days off and decide if your enjoying your current business and if not do something about it - I tent to remember you enjoy canvassing and creating rounds.

good luck !

Excellent post, Ian, and thanks for sharing it.
Sometimes you can't just work it off and need 'real' help.
Good luck with it.

[Marc Stock]

Its difficult when you suffer from depression. I battle with it on a daily basis, i sold of some work last year to free up some time, as i am involved in another business venture.  I now take Wednesdays off to gather my thoughts, and spend time on this other venture. This has really helped me actually become more productive.

[KS Cleaning]

I'm saving up for an M4 at the moment, that's all the motivation I need

I'd love my own motorway, too!
Then all you need is a nice BMW to drive on it.

Nice motor. Good luck and I'm sure you'll get it.

That's me done it, I saved enough to put down a good deposit on a used M4, I will be travelling down to Yorkshire within the week to pick it up. My motivation might suffer now as I'll be lookin for any excuse to get home n get out in the car

[Shrek]

I'm saving up for an M4 at the moment, that's all the motivation I need

I'd love my own motorway, too!
Then all you need is a nice BMW to drive on it.

Nice motor. Good luck and I'm sure you'll get it.

That's me done it, I saved enough to put down a good deposit on a used M4, I will be travelling down to Yorkshire within the week to pick it up. My motivation might suffer now as I'll be lookin for any excuse to get home n get out in the car

M4? Wow aren't they like 30 odd grand? Beautiful cars

[G Griffin]

I'm saving up for an M4 at the moment, that's all the motivation I need

I'd love my own motorway, too!
Then all you need is a nice BMW to drive on it.

Nice motor. Good luck and I'm sure you'll get it.

That's me done it, I saved enough to put down a good deposit on a used M4, I will be travelling down to Yorkshire within the week to pick it up. My motivation might suffer now as I'll be lookin for any excuse to get home n get out in the car

Nice one.
Enjoy it!

[KS Cleaning]

I'm saving up for an M4 at the moment, that's all the motivation I need

I'd love my own motorway, too!
Then all you need is a nice BMW to drive on it.

Nice motor. Good luck and I'm sure you'll get it.

That's me done it, I saved enough to put down a good deposit on a used M4, I will be travelling down to Yorkshire within the week to pick it up. My motivation might suffer now as I'll be lookin for any excuse to get home n get out in the car

M4? Wow aren't they like 30 odd grand? Beautiful cars

Cheers Shrek, aye they don't come cheap. You're only here once eh!

[Stoots]

I think it's easy to get weighed down by the business as a sole trader. There are time when you need to take it easy and enjoy other things in life, whatever your passion  is... exercise helps a lot, it's one those things just like diet when you are feeling crap you don't want to do bit I know I generally feel much better with regular exercise.

[Miko67]

Trad keeps you exercising  lol
I beleive this too tho Alan. Exercising and f***ing r great for u  I have felt very depressed doing this job too , but it's a great number compared to what else is out there. Sometimes I think we need to just shake it up a bit or get a good holiday.