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Being self employed and discipline/routine

adamangler

Wakefield Window Warrior
Messages
4,263
Location
Wakefield
Not seen this talked about much before.

Coming from being employed all my working life to making the leap to self employment it all seems a bit strange. No threat of getting sacked looming over your head to force you out of bed on a morning, no one stopping you going home at 3pm when youve finished windows.

Yes i know there is the motivation of gaining new customers and earning more money but its easier to run away from something than it is to run towards something, maybe some people need the negative motivation rather than positive motivation.

I kind of miss being told what to do, i quite miss the discipline of having to work whilst 5 even though most things have been done by 3.

What made me think about this topic is that i slept in this morning, didnt get up whilst half ten, was bloody freezing this morning and i snoozed the alarm and didnt wake back up.

No harm done, im on my way out after lunch i had decided to have a day leafletting anyway today as not a great deal of windows on this week, sods law that its probably the sunniest day outside ive seen for a month.

Anyway just wondered if you self employed guys have a routine that you stick to or a certain target for the day or have a list of things you must get done before youll allow yourself to go home etc

did anyone else find it strange at first?

Ive decided going to write myself a schedule later of what i must get done every day and give myself some set hours to achieve it, think i need some discipline.

I sometimes have this converstion with myself at the moment

07:30 alarm clock goes off,

me - hit snooze

08:30 need to go out now

me - ill have another cuppa first

12:00 finished windows

me - ok better do some leaflets then near where i live

me - ill just nip home on my way past and have cuppa

13:00 right leaflets then

me - ok then

me - 1 hour later, this is fecking **** lol, no ones gonna ring anyway

me - ill go home and hit facebook for a couple of hours and advertise

15:00 - after being on fb half hour the mind wanders to you tube

16:00 still sat here, ill have my tea

19:00 - bit more facebook- ah feck it ill try again tomorrow

Ive realized im kind of half arsed at the minute, maybe its this awfull weather or maybe being self employed is going to take some getting used to.

One thing i find really hard is starting late in the day, if not out the door by half 8-9 im pretty much done for the day, i prefer to start early and get done, cant understand these that can start after lunch time.

Anyway i better go out and get some leaflets done! such a procrastinator...

Thoughts?

 
As you get busier, you have to crack on, or you'll get behind.

I tried self employment in my early twenties and didn't have the self discipline.

Started again at 32 and not found it problematic.

Having to get up to deal with children is good for routine. Also when they're on holiday, it's good to get out of the house early (9ish).

Also. If you want to work, do a full day. If you're undecided, just take the day off, don't procrastinate undecided. It's either a work day or it isn't.

I'm stuck in the bank, waiting for a human.......

 
I am 10 months in and at first it is a massive responsibilyty to do everything and keep up and not just slack off.

But i was determend to succuceed and hang on, no easy but now i see the benefit of it, only need 25% more work to be at capasity.

i am at the point where i am annoyed if i dont have enough work wich leads me to leaflet.

Routine wise i get up at 6.00 you get so mich more done if you get up earlier, see if custy have paid, do the books etc.

I think routines are most important as self employed.

Target wise i have a money target i want to hit every week, so i maybe only clean 4-5 hours a day, but i dont mind, i look at the big picture.

Woops a bit long there :laugh:

 
How weird you should post this lol. Over xmas i have made a routine for work and my normal life. As i am getting older, i have noticed i need the help of technology and science (medicine)

One thing that i have noticed with my "stream lining" is i am getting more me time.

I started my time and motion idea on the 4th of January and its amazing how much time i am saving per day by changing stuff.

I hit my target today at 2.45pm, normally i would stay on and start on the next days worksheet but i decided not to! it's Monday and i have worked hard(ish)

I started 30mins later today and finished nearly an hour earlier all because of my brilliance /emoticons/tongue.png

 
I was employed from leaving school at sixteen until March last year when I went full time on the windows.

I wouldn't say I'm the most motivated or disciplined person in the world but I've been motivated and disciplined enough to make it work. If i don't make it work, the rent doesn't get paid and the kids don't get fed. Simple as that really.

I don't bother setting an alarm but I always get up at the same time as the wife and help get the kids ready for school and then I'm out the house before 9am. Sometimes earlier depending on what I've got on. If I sat around I'd never leave the house.

 
I have to be at my first job before 9am every day or i am not happy

Worked all day from my car without getting the trolley out once

Got my work done (21 jobs) by 15.30

Would have had a nice easy end to the week but a job i did for Knebworth house estates has lead to another 8 of their properties..all in and out jobs which is my friday spoken for now

 
I only work 3 or 4 days a week. I like to get them done ASAP. Mon Tuesday wed. Then I can bugger about. The only thing to stop me working( when I was single) was a woman. Always happy to leave some windows for some fun /emoticons/biggrin.png That's my main weakness. Oh and I could never have a proper job!

 
I feel rubbish if I have not worked hard

Today got up at 6 am did three costas

Then two big detached windows

Then jetwashed front roof tiles on a detached

Then two detached Windows

Then a large detached plus gutters

Oh and his sons bungalow finished in dark - average day !

 
its a very good point @adamangler, i'm on my 13 yr self employed & i struggle massively, i talk to customers too long & i have a day off at the drop of a hat or rain lol & i really wish i didn't, its one of my new year resolutions to do better.

i work hard when i'm out but get distracted too easily, so ill be watching this thread for tips

 
its a very good point @adamangler, i'm on my 13 yr self employed & i struggle massively, i talk to customers too long & i have a day off at the drop of a hat or rain lol & i really wish i didn't, its one of my new year resolutions to do better.i work hard when i'm out but get distracted too easily, so ill be watching this thread for tips
I've got a mate who's the same as u simon. He works when he wants. Might do 4 or 5 days one week. And just 1 the following week. As he says he earns more doing that than he would in a factory

 
It all depends what sort of day it is

Had a very busy one today and that's good

Have a good day tomorrow but all in 3 roads after i have done my first one in the nearby village

Will be done early rather than do Wednesdays work

Days like that i usually end up chatting with other local windies like @Adams0211 or dossing somewhere

 
Myself and my worker are on the first windows at 8am and work til 4ish with 2 breaks. We try to finish by 3 on Fridays. We stick to this as were busy and don't want an excuse to do half days etc because, if were honest, we love the good money you can earn, that's motivating enough:thumbsup:

 
It all depends what sort of day it isHad a very busy one today and that's good

Have a good day tomorrow but all in 3 roads after i have done my first one in the nearby village

Will be done early rather than do Wednesdays work

Days like that i usually end up chatting with other local windies like @Adams0211 or dossing somewhere
Don't blame ya mate. Wed is another day. I've got me cpc thingy on Thursday :envy:

 
its a very good point @adamangler, i'm on my 13 yr self employed & i struggle massively, i talk to customers too long & i have a day off at the drop of a hat or rain lol & i really wish i didn't, its one of my new year resolutions to do better.i work hard when i'm out but get distracted too easily, so ill be watching this thread for tips
That's one of the parts of the job I love :thumbsup:

If I fancy a day off, I'll have a day off. If I feel like talking to a customer for twenty minutes, I'll talk to a customer for twenty minutes. As long as I earn enough and I'm not getting behind then I see it as one of the perks of being the boss. My mrs rang me mid-morning last Thursday to say our five year old wasn't well at school and needed picking up. The wife couldn't do it as she was halfway through highlighting someone's hair so I downed tools and picked the little one up. I could have dropped her to my mum but decided to take the rest of the day off and spend some quality time with her.

 
yes its one of the parts i love, when my ex moved to scotland i still used to go to my lads sports days up there, but i have too many days off just because i can , what i should be doing is fine tuning my round & picking up better work, but i find self motivation dead hard

 
yes its one of the parts i love, when my ex moved to scotland i still used to go to my lads sports days up there, but i have too many days off just because i can , what i should be doing is fine tuning my round & picking up better work, but i find self motivation dead hard
I go through stages. I'll be totally motivated for a few months and then spend the next couple of months just floating along. I'm in a motivated stage at the moment and have picked up at least fifteen new customers in the last week.

 
I've got a mate who's the same as u simon. He works when he wants. Might do 4 or 5 days one week. And just 1 the following week. As he says he earns more doing that than he would in a factory
i think that can be a big problem i worked as labourer always on the lowest wage, window cleaning i was on £35 a shift, my first day for myself i did £70 in 9 hrs lol but even now once i go over £120 i relax & start thinking aah that'll do even though i know theres another £50 or so there to be done . i hate the idea of targets but maybe rewards could be a way of getting a bit more self discipline
 
i think that can be a big problem i worked as labourer always on the lowest wage, window cleaning i was on £35 a shift, my first day for myself i did £70 in 9 hrs lol but even now once i go over £120 i relax & start thinking aah that'll do even though i know theres another £50 or so there to be done . i hate the idea of targets but maybe rewards could be a way of getting a bit more self discipline
Just do wot suits u mate. £120 a day ain't to be sniffed at!

 
erlier you get up the better. then uv time to think thru your day instead of stumbling straight into it half asleep

i usually leave home at 7 a.m. but dont pick my workers up till 8.30 . that hour and a half is spent thinking it thru ,working out the order of the day,rearranging the order of work,rewriting , to get more out of the day. makes a real diffrence i can tell you .

 
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