[sjm]

I started about 6 months ago on my own, and its been hard since i was focusing on wfp and couldnt afford all the stuff i needed to start even with a small loan, we struggle to pay the monthly bills usually with nothing for anything else, barely fuel. I cant afford a van, so have been using a large trailer system. Its pretty tough, and when i first started i had just a escort estate 1.6 that i used to chug 200 litres of water in barrels messing about changing them over and everything really put me off wfp or working atall. I have been doing some easy trad bungalows recently and gutter soffit cleaning jobs. It would be nice to work with someone else, but not nice to half the sallary. I want to build up an enterprise of several wfp trailer systems as i believe this is slightly cheaper on fuel as you can get away with 1 ton trailer load on about a 1.6car so £45 to fill the tank, then working for me, but at the moment cannot afford to. So im slowly building up residential and commercial work using the trailer system.
I have depression and no energy all the time, and some days getting out to work i usually start around 11am sometimes 1pm. \\\\\\\\\with nothing to motivate you, and bills to beckon you, it is hard though once youve finished a days work and have what you came for, then it makes it easier to work on the next day and encouraging that you can earn significantly more than a regular job.

I also suffer from bi polar , and my advice would be not to push yourself too hard , as this can cause a bad bout !   Only you know what is best for you . Forget what a lot say on here as they dont have your brain ( if they did they might have a different opinion LOL ) .    If I didnt have the depression curse I could have retired to cyprus now  . Take care mate 

[davids3511]

The greatest motivator is a stopwatch. Timing each job and counting the pennies as I go along motivates me.
I don't do this all the time, it's something I do when I want to get stuck in.

I've started doing that with my mobile alarm. I set it for how long I think the house should take and try to get it done before the alarm goes off. Works well for me to focus the mind.

[supernova77]

I've been window cleaning now for 2.5 years.

I think the thrill of the chase kept me going at first when I was building the business up. But, after my first year I started to get bored and lacked motivation... So I took my cousin on to work with me - That was ok for the first few months, it did help my motivation - But then he messed me about a bit so I got rid of him.

Now I work on my own again... I must say that I do suffer from motivation a lot... I have more than enough work to do, but sometimes just cannot get into gear to get it all done!

I was speaking to another window cleaner the other day... He works 8am - 5pm 5 days a week... He told me that he makes an appointment with a customer each day to start there house at 8am and this is what gets him out of bed and started on time... I think it's a really good idea, and I think I might start doing it myself.

Andy

[nat]

I've been window cleaning now for 2.5 years.

I think the thrill of the chase kept me going at first when I was building the business up. But, after my first year I started to get bored and lacked motivation... So I took my cousin on to work with me - That was ok for the first few months, it did help my motivation - But then he messed me about a bit so I got rid of him.

Now I work on my own again... I must say that I do suffer from motivation a lot... I have more than enough work to do, but sometimes just cannot get into gear to get it all done!

I was speaking to another window cleaner the other day... He works 8am - 5pm 5 days a week... He told me that he makes an appointment with a customer each day to start there house at 8am and this is what gets him out of bed and started on time... I think it's a really good idea, and I think I might start doing it myself.

Andy

if your lacking in motivation that much does that mean you are late in getting round to customers? if so calculate how much revenue you are losing each year, see what it mounts up to and if it is excessive then look at taking someone on full time and just monitor their work? if you weigh up all your work and realize you can't afford someone then add another lot of work to help pay for them. It will be a bit of graft at first to set things up and tech them the round/job etc.

there are people out there that will work for you but they have to be treated and paid right. It isn't that much of a ball ache, and once you get it right you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner...If your stuck in a rut its the perfect time to take action, thats what i did and it wasn't until i calculated how much revenue i was losing through my lazyness that i realized i could afford to take someone on and still earn exactly what i was through being lazy. now my schedules are done to the day as long as big contracts don't conflict with set days!

[Mr T]

I also find it hard if im on my own, much better with someone with u. Seems easier to.

[Joe Lauzon]

The thing is Jon,that at 18 years old, you havnt experienced enough of being in rubbishy or pressurized jobs to actually fully appreciate the benefits of being self employed.

This is a great point.