How do you keep yourself motivated?

[arboriculturist]

9 hours ago, forestboy1978 said:

Interesting topic. 

 

Some days I'm driven and ready to attack the day, others I dread it. Currently I'm on a job that I'm hating and I knew I would, knowing it would be a bast*** and the weather is also depressing as hell.  

 

On the no motivation, doom and gloom days, I just get on with it. I tell myself things could be worse, self pity is futile. Every man has to work. On the motivation days I CAPITALISE on that free drive and get as much done as humanly possible. 

 

I find the hardest bit dealing with customers, when you just wanna be doing bugger all at home with your feet up. Faking that enthusiasm about their project that I am undertaking can be draining if I really don't give a crap. I hate being disingenuous, even if it is just faking peppyness. 

 

My current goal is to maximise profit and minimise effort. Garnering regular smaller well paid 1 hour jobs so you can get a few days per month where you earn a days wages in 2-4 hours helps the motivation. I avoid working for friends and family as much as possible. I flat out tell them that my intention is to get as much as possible for doing as little as possible and our two objectives are definitely incongruous. I usually recommend trusted friends who don't have biz costs and do a bit of this and that on the weekends who are much cheaper of course than me. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I sorta like working also and get depressed if I don't do physical stuff to some degree but over working ruins me as well.

 

Looking forward to 13 days of at xmas, even though I'm flat broke ATM due to OCD spending problems.    

I liked that post a lot - straight from the heart telling it as it is. I think a lot of us feel like that who have been toiling for a fair few years but don't like to admit it!

[Yournamehere]

Looked out the window.

Gave m'self the day off.

Put the kettle on.

Re-reading Tansley's 'Britains Green Mantle'

Happy Days!

[eggsarascal]

Working on your own everyday is torture, some days the only people I speak to (at work) are the reception staff on sites. I have to keep hold of my mo jo or depression sets in, then it's a right battle to sort myself out.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

45 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

I avoid working for friends and family as much as possible.

Best approach (across all jobs!)

 

 

[Vespasian]

A change is as good as a rest..........    perhaps when you hit the wall, do something different..

 

 

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

45 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

I avoid working for friends and family as much as possible.

Best approach (across all jobs!)

 

 

[forestboy1978]

2 hours ago, Yournamehere said:

Looked out the window.

Gave m'self the day off.

Put the kettle on.

Re-reading Tansley's 'Britains Green Mantle'

Happy Days!

Me neither. Gotta work Sunday though. ?

[Matthew Storrs]

2 hours ago, eggsarascal said:

Working on your own everyday is torture, some days the only people I speak to (at work) are the reception staff on sites. I have to keep hold of my mo jo or depression sets in, then it's a right battle to sort myself out.

This- definitely hard to keep it going over the winter months when there’s no one to share the strain/problems with or just to laugh at stuff. I work in remote areas on my own and often don’t even see the customer. My wife (bless her) tries to listen any problems when I get home but in fairness she has her own stuff to deal with. So in short working solo and having depressing weather on top, trudging through jobs just to keep things afloat can be  be a recipe for loneliness/depression/lack of motivation. There’s always someone worse off of course and the main thing I find is to make sure there’s always something in your life to look forwards to- holiday/nice evening out/going to visit friends/family etc. Make little breaks in your day to look forwards to- I always bring nice coffee and cakes with me. Just the thought of that at the next break will get me through the next few hours and so on... 

[woodwizzard]

Didn't need to look out of the window this morning to know it wasn't going to happen. Spent the day in the shed tinkering on the motorbike.

[Big J]

1 hour ago, woodwizzard said:

Didn't need to look out of the window this morning to know it wasn't going to happen. Spent the day in the shed tinkering on the motorbike.

Ya big girls blouse! I was up in Dulverton today dropping off firewood for my wife's aunt and uncle and it wasn't that bad! ?