menial work motivation

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LiNK666

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I've been working non-stop 7 days a week 14-18hrs a day since January (became my own boss). I neglected a lot of paperwork and administrative tasks which have piled up since then.

I can't motivate myself to get it done. I do a little bit here and there, but won't touch it unless if there is an immediate deadline looming. I'm also in the process of setting up a systems in place to have better control over things. Problem is that I'm behind so much I can't catch up/set it up. I have to get everything fixed by January 1st.

How do you motivate yourself to do menial tasks?
 
Hire a temp or part time assistant.
 
Oh man, I hear you.

I still don't have it perfected, but this is what somewhat works for me:

I make a simple paper-and-pencil to-do list. Usually, it's size of an index card.
I write down all the things I really have to do ASAP with a check-boxes in front. Some tasks are really simple (shred old stuff, renew license, send invoices...) and some are really long-and-boring things I hate the most (read - taxes). When these things are in my head, it sounds like a Mount bloody Everest clime. Once on paper, I start checking things off and I can see progress... and somehow I get things done faster than I thought I would. Sometimes I break up big jobs into smaller chunks, and check them off... For me, it just works somehow...
I also remove all the distractions from my desk, and plug into some decent internet radio station (no commercials), that stuff helps, but that may be just me...
 
nfq said:
Hire a temp or part time assistant.
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Employees are lazy. You have to be on their *** to get work done. I'm literally a baby sitter. This work is important so I can't have anyone mess around with it.

nearace said:
get the better half to light a fire under your butt:)
Click to expand...

Naw, if I get a better half she is going to get a good job with benefits. I need insurance!

adv_round said:
Oh man, I hear you.

I still don't have it perfected, but this is what somewhat works for me:

I make a simple paper-and-pencil to-do list. Usually, it's size of an index card.
I write down all the things I really have to do ASAP with a check-boxes in front. Some tasks are really simple (shred old stuff, renew license, send invoices...) and some are really long-and-boring things I hate the most (read - taxes). When these things are in my head, it sounds like a Mount bloody Everest clime. Once on paper, I start checking things off and I can see progress... and somehow I get things done faster than I thought I would. Sometimes I break up big jobs into smaller chunks, and check them off... For me, it just works somehow...
I also remove all the distractions from my desk, and plug into some decent internet radio station (no commercials), that stuff helps, but that may be just me...
Click to expand...

I have a white board that I started to write tasks on and get on them, but it's hard to build a routine around that. I'm making an office space in the new place I'm moving. Hopefully that will make things easier. I also un-preordered assassins creed 3. I have deadlines and that **** is going to slow me down lol. You are right about distractions. So hard to get away from them.
 
Imagine the work you would have accomplished had you not started this thread.

Imagine further the work you'd accomplish if you didnt respond.
 
LiNK666 said:
Employees are lazy. You have to be on their *** to get work done. I'm literally a baby sitter. This work is important so I can't have anyone mess around with it.



Naw, if I get a better half she is going to get a good job with benefits. I need insurance!



I have a white board that I started to write tasks on and get on them, but it's hard to build a routine around that. I'm making an office space in the new place I'm moving. Hopefully that will make things easier. I also un-preordered assassins creed 3. I have deadlines and that **** is going to slow me down lol. You are right about distractions. So hard to get away from them.
Click to expand...

Might take a bit but there are very good employees out there. Best is to find them by referral. Have any friends or family in school? They always know someone looking for work. I had a finance student helping me for 2 years while she was doing her cga as well. I was sad to see her go but I'm not one to hold anyone back. She did refer a friend of hers and he's been very solid. Good luck.
 
So basically you're working 120 hours a week, approximately what three people would put in and you wonder why you're losing motivation. You are burned out.
Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
Are things going to get better?
When?
How long can you keep this up before you croak or quit?
The first few years of a business are killers.
The answer is basically financial. If you have a good product / service poor cash flow can put you under. How's yours?
Can you afford to hire qualified help?
 
LiNK666 said:
Employees are lazy. You have to be on their *** to get work done. I'm literally a baby sitter. This work is important so I can't have anyone mess around with it.
Click to expand...

It depends.. If the position pays well, you will be able to hire a motivated professional who doesn't screw around. For minimum wage you're really banking on the employee having a higher level of motivation and better work ethics than what's expected at that pay scale. If a person old/educated enough to do that paperwork is still working for minimum wage, you can have a good idea about their level of motivation, which usually translates into work ethics.

nobbie48 said:
Can you afford to hire qualified help?
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That's the million dollar question :cool:

Bottom line: Either work 20hrs a day and just do it yourself or hire a professional. Get off the booze while working. It's a good way to lose everything you've worked so hard to make, plus generally indicative of poor work ethics.
 
bunmanchi said:
Imagine the work you would have accomplished had you not started this thread.

Imagine further the work you'd accomplish if you didnt respond.
Click to expand...


^^^ Winning answer.


If you have time for non essential activities, like GTAM, then are you truly that busy?
 
I didn't always have it, but as I got older I came to enjoy the completion of things, I can't start and not finish something. Not having even some crappy task pending is more satisfying than taking it easy. "Git err duuuun".
 
I buy an organizer and I write down what I have to do during the day. Every time I finish something, I cross it out in red. I find that this motivates me because anything I don't finish, stays on the list and gets carried over to the next day. It works best when your organizer has more than one day on the page so you can see how retarded and useless you're being.

You can also train yourself using positive reinforcement. It's hard to do somethings, but I won't let myself do what I want to do, unless I finish what I have to do. If you can take your work with you, go to a McDonalds or Timmies and don't leave until you get everything done.

It sounds like you're burning out - you should honestly consider hiring someone. I work months at a time with no days off in between, so I know how taxing it can be to have such long days (yesterday I went between 3 jobs without sleep). Your mind will give out before your body does and it sucks to spend your days off running errands, so I find that thinking about THAT helps me work on things little by little.

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Unrelated, but this is why I don't find "being your own boss" or becoming an entrepreneur all that exciting. I love working, but I wonder whether the stress you have to go through just to call something "your own" is worth it. If the goal is to have enough money to be comfortable, it seems that there are easier ways to do it. The yield might be slightly smaller in the end, but how much are we all really aiming for?

Honestly, I'd work for you 'cause I know you to be a stand up guy, but I'd imagine that you don't have too much to spare since you're getting everything off the ground. If you need an assistant, just give me a call/text me and I'll see if I can find you someone that I can personally vouch for, with whatever you'd be willing to offer in mind.

Also, I'm with firestart when I say get off the booze. Do you really want to be dependant on substances to get things done? It's the reason I bought adderall but didn't end up taking it when I was working full time + in school. You'd be surprised with what the mind can do if it has the right motivation - but the trickiest part is finding that motivation.
 
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LiNK666 said:
I noticed alcohol calms me down a lot so I get started on it and got some done. 1-2 drinks is quite enough to get work done... anymore and you make mistakes
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lol that's the only way i get any housework done
 
knowledge said:
I buy an organizer and I write down what I have to do during the day. Every time I finish something, I cross it out in red. I find that this motivates me because anything I don't finish, stays on the list and gets carried over to the next day. It works best when your organizer has more than one day on the page so you can see how retarded and useless you're being.

You can also train yourself using positive reinforcement. It's hard to do somethings, but I won't let myself do what I want to do, unless I finish what I have to do. If you can take your work with you, go to a McDonalds or Timmies and don't leave until you get everything done.

It sounds like you're burning out - you should honestly consider hiring someone. I work months at a time with no days off in between, so I know how taxing it can be to have such long days (yesterday I went between 3 jobs without sleep). Your mind will give out before your body does and it sucks to spend your days off running errands, so I find that thinking about THAT helps me work on things little by little.

-------
Unrelated, but this is why I don't find "being your own boss" or becoming an entrepreneur all that exciting. I love working, but I wonder whether the stress you have to go through just to call something "your own" is worth it. If the goal is to have enough money to be comfortable, it seems that there are easier ways to do it. The yield might be slightly smaller in the end, but how much are we all really aiming for?

Honestly, I'd work for you 'cause I know you to be a stand up guy, but I'd imagine that you don't have too much to spare since you're getting everything off the ground. If you need an assistant, just give me a call/text me and I'll see if I can find you someone that I can personally vouch for, with whatever you'd be willing to offer in mind.

Also, I'm with firestart when I say get off the booze. Do you really want to be dependant on substances to get things done? It's the reason I bought adderall but didn't end up taking it when I was working full time + in school. You'd be surprised with what the mind can do if it has the right motivation - but the trickiest part is finding that motivation.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I've tried all of that and it is that I'm burning out. I found that I took a small break a few days ago and that's what stopped me from doing more now. Once I get all the systems in place it should become a lot easier. I just need to grind it out.

Can't hire an assistant until I quadruple my income. I need to hire assistant managers as I expand next year.
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