Sheagatzi Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I think I'm getting burned out!! I am busy. For me. I have a queue of quilts that go to the end of June (edited to say...er.. mid July now, client just dropped off 4 quilts) and they whisper guilty thoughts to me from the closet in the middle of the night. I've built my business pretty much from word of mouth, no advertising. I love what I do, but this week I'm really feeling burned out. to the point where I am asking myself if this is what I want to do!!! I absolutely adore my clients, and I love to quilt most of the time. But what I don't love is this feeling of burden - like instead of going for a walk or puttering in the garden, I have to get downstairs and finish that quilt. sigh. I went to the doctor yesterday and found out my blood pressure was high. I've been very stressed the past few weeks with deadlines, fundraisers at school, quilt deadlines, etc. Now I'm evaluating if this is one of my bp causes. I live on 4-5 coffees a day to kind of get me through. I eat very well however and very healthy. Is this added stress and added feeling of burden a cause? The house is tidy, but not clean. I'm tired. I'm grouchy. I need to do things like take the dog for a walk for my own benefit (and his) I do last minute grocery shops because I no longer have the time to plan my week of meals. The garden needs to be work on. My windows, blinds and sills have not yet been washed for spring. I guess this might be in the 'time management' thread. But I just wonder what you do if you are starting to feel burnout? I'm worried if I slow down then I may lose clients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Your body and mind are whispering to you. They are saying just what you suspect. I'm coming up on the 10 year anniversary of my business. After I started having a backlog of customer quilts, I went through what you're experiencing. The best thing I ever figured out was when I decided to schedule a specific number of quilts per month. Quilts are dropped off the month before so I can decide in which order to stitch them (two customs in a row is too draining so I space them throughout the month interspersed with easy/small ones). I first thought I could do 10 a month--wrong. I work 25 hours a week at a "benefits job" which I wouldn't give up because of the security it provides.Then I went to 8 per month. Again, that was too many since my customers were building Judy Niemeyer giants and Dear Janes, along with giant bed quilts and BOMs. Now I'm at 6 per month and it seems to work. I have time for a few QOVs and my own quilts here and there. I have time to schedule vacations with family and for other interests. So I have 6 quilts whispering to me at the beginning of the month, rather than 30 in the queue screaming at me that I'll never get to them all! Don't--- * Have your business be your only "job". Consider being part of something else (family, classes, gardening, fun times) and pencil those times in as part of the "job". This will give you something to look forward to besides the happy smiles of your customers. * Feel bad saying "no"--to customers and sometimes to your friends/family. I'm hoping your circle understands and supports your endeavors. * Feel bad turning away business. It isn't meant to be if a customer can't wait a couple of months in your queue. You aren't any good to them if you've lost your spark! Do--- * Raise your prices when you have a several-month backlog of tops. This sounds counter to everything your heart tells you (you'll lose customers /they'll never come back /I'm not good enough to charge that much /I want my customers to be my friends) but it's everything your brain knows and your accountant wants! You'll find you'll be closer to an acceptable hourly rate and will still make a similar amount monthly with less time in front of the machine. * Realize that if you're behind and pressured, you can call your customers and without revealing too much personal stuff, explain that you'll need to push their job back a couple of weeks. Most will understand and it will give you some relief from the pressure you put upon yourself worrying about the backlog. * Walk away when you need to. You're more important than the quilts. Your family is too, as well as the other things that make you smile. I'm sending you good thoughts and assure you that we've all gone through this--as does anyone who owns a business. You put your heart and soul into it but will need to balance the best way you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamarack Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Andrea I find I have to take breaks during the year so I can work on my own projects or just do nothing. I take July and August off as well as December...no quilting for clients even if they beg. Actually my clients are really good about leaving me along during my breaks as they know that is important to me and that once I get back to quilting for them i will be in a great mood. They know they benefit from my breaks too! I know that last quilt you were working on was pretty intense so that probably sucked all the fun out of it for you. Maybe try to work on balancing the custom and e2e jobs so you have a good mix. Only take on so many custom jobs per month and schedule e2e jobs between. LInda has given you some great advise. You need a break and your clients will understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Andrea I know exactly how you feel. I too built my business by word of mouth, on year 7. I have stopped taking quilts for the time being because life just had me fried. I work full-time and it seemed that any spare moment I had I was quilting for others, nothing for myself and it just got to me. My house I like clean and like you it was tidy but not clean and my gardens, oh lets not even talk about that! LOL I've been working for 2 weeks on them in the evening after work trying to get them back in shape and I have the poison ivy to prove it! It seems that work and family obligations just got out of control and then hubby was really sick and I just didn't bounce back. My customers have all been super understanding and if I do quilt it is with no deadline. I'm giving myself a break until Sept. to see if I want to take quilts in again or just quilt for me again. If I do start again I will set a better schedule. Like Linda I changed my intake an booked quilts out. My customers didn't seem to mind the 3 month wait but it drove me crazy. The biggest problem I had was the custom quilting. They take a little piece of with me with every one and it is tough to keep up with with. I think Kathy has the right idea, only one custom per month. Hang in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 That's great advice for the bigger picture, but for myself, I work 6-8 hours per day quilting, designing, whatever the next quilt needs, then the rest of the day is mine....it is too easy to let that backlog take over your life, you could quilt 24/7 and still have a backlog...so my answer was to schedule my days like regular work days and take evenings and weekends off for me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted May 23, 2014 Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 I do not work full time so schedule my month with my family/ community commitments first, then blank out spaces for customer quilting. I will only work for customers for a maximum of 6 hours per day, so it leaves some house work time daily. As I finish any of my own tops I schedule them in the customer calendar. I now have my calendar on Microsoft Outlook so from my phone can tell any customers the next spot I have available for them. I allow only one E2E per day, if I feel like I want to do more I take the next in line and at least three days for each custom. If I quilt quicker it becomes "me " time. I am not making a living from my quilting but it is paying for my habit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheagatzi Posted May 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 Thanks everyone. I think I have had a few big deadlines in the last while, all quilting related and am feeling the pinch. I absolutely love quilting, but I need to find a bit more balance. I went into this to work part time, and it is turning full time for me. It is hard to balance the other 'stuff'! At least for the next few weeks, I'll take a few more days off to just putz around and enjoy the weather. Or at least make that time a meaningful break. I can work feverishly when it's -30c out. LOL I appreciate your experience and help in this. Honestly I had no idea that I would pick up clients so quickly and they would LIKE what I do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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