When you get burned out.....Whats the cure??

A to do list is a great thing but once you have done it find an item on it that will excite you when it is done. Your list will probably include a bunch of mundane things that when done don't really make a huge difference and make you feel that you haven't accomplished anything but if you do something that might look cool when done or will be very satisfying to have finished it will ignite your p***ion more.

 

I start to watch some hot rod movies and that gets me pretty pumped!! I also ride motocross and i kind of balance both hobbys so one never really overtakes my life. When i am not hot rodding i am involved in moto one way or another (races buying new parts, working on motors, forks) Also i go and ride pit bikes for a while and that takes my mind off everything.

 

i picked up a 51 chevy coupe last march. ****ed off tell july got it running with a good motor. headed off to the rama. spun 2 rods on I-5 tryin to keep up. no tach. opps. i let it sit for 6+ weeks. then moved it in the shop pulled the motor. trans, then the clip. motors almost ready to go back on. but i can not get my *** out there to work on the car for nothing. i work on cars all day. then get home just don't feel like it. i WANT too just i go out there and don't get much done. if any thing. its been untuched for 4 weeks again. i need totry cleaning the shop again. it worked last time. there a lot more work cleaning the shop that doing the 51 any way lol

 

I make a to do list. I put down a date to finish the project ...then i surf for the next two days. Glance at the list and get busy.

 

Like others....I'm all for the list...I got one myself that SLOWLY is getting things crossed off of it....BUT I sectioned a truck so there's lots of big stuff that takes lotsa time....I woulda never thought I would have two months worth of weekends in a HOOD...that is why I dont put dates on my list....when I read up on sectioning a hood and watched a few covell videos they made it all look so easy....****ers....

Last bit of advice...take solice in others pain...see hood comment, I just spent 10 hours on it and still am another 50 away from callin it good...then comes the doors...

 

walk away, and get angry, shoot some **** up, break some ****.....works for me..... or just get another job like im doin. car stuff gets frustrating sometimes so improvise. -J

 

For me it's just winter kicking my ***. I should be working on my 40 getting stuff done for the spring, because as soon as the weather breaks I'm driving! But usually with all the stuff not done that should have been done over the winter! I just can't seem to get motivated in this cold, gray, ****ty weather!!

 

The to do list is very important when building a car.

If you still have a day where you're feeling lazy, reading some Hot Rod Magazines and watching some Hot Rod DVD's will help put you back in the mood to get your car done.

 

i am in the same situation, frustrated that nothings gettin done and sittin here on the hamb again procrastinating, then i get out to the car, spend a hour looking for something, give up and come back in.
also the heat here at the moment doesnt help, even in just a pair of shorts i go out and i am sweating like a pig in 2 minutes.
i thought a holiday would help, went and stayed up north 2 hours away for 5 days, went out to the beach, river and lake went fishing, water skiing and hung out at the beach a bit and since getting back my motivation and progress on the car is ten times worse.
i stayed up there at a old mates house who i used to cruise with, we both pulled our prides and joys apart at the same time but he has a much bigger motivation problem than me as he smokes a fair bit of pot wich from what ive seen over the years is a real project killer, it was pretty sad to see his galaxy he**** lowrider sitting as it was 1 year ago but with more dust and surface rust.
anyway procrastination is my biggest enemy, i recently bought a book about overcoming procrastinating but havent got around to reading it yet but ive bought it and thats the first step, by the look of what it had written on the back its a ideal book for any one building a car.
people say why does everything take so long but nothing seems to fit, just about every part i seem to have to make or buy and modify for 4 hours before i can fit it to the car so tiny bits that should be five minute jobs turn into one month jobs with my lack of motivation.
i find myself often going out to work on the car, i will smoke about four cigarettes, drink 2 beers and put a screw in somewere.
anyway, a****st the old holden guys on the net we have a rule often called "harko's 20 minute rule", harko is just a forum user, he probably uses this forum too but in one post in a thread like this one once he said he had a 20 minute rule were each night he makes sure he goes outside and fiddles with his project for 20 minutes, sometimes you even get a bit of motivation and extend it, anyway harko has alot of big projects wich he never seems to finish, i dont know if he really uses his rule but i know many other people are using his trick and its working for them and its become known as "harko's 20 minute rule"
anyway its now time for me to go and start my twenty minutes for today, i hope i get something done, i find a week of twenty minute rule nights gets annoying little jobs out of the way that slow you down on the weekend.

 

Or like me write a list of all the things you need to do, become disheartened by the amount on the list, put list down in the garage and lose list!

I find that my mates constantly getting at me, and asking when my truck will be on the road is good for motivation.

 

I go ride the harley-davidson if its over 42 degrees. if not i just throw on the old blizzard coveralls and get back on the project. or read the H.A.M.B. XM radio helps.

 

"Ok, I use the "one bolt rule" If i go to the garage i work on at least one bolt, removing or replacing it or if it is metal work one weld one spot or do 1 square foot of sanding or whatever. Often I get absorbed in the job and do more but not always. Since envoking this rule I have never not finished a project. When it is done is unimportant but a constant push is always on even if it is just a nudge. Inch by inch anything's a cinch. if you follow this rule you wont go wrong. We take out the garbage, visit the washroom , get dressed , etc. All not fun things but stuff we have to do We dont think about it we just do it. The one bolt rule will fit this notch and pretty soon you car will be done and you wont even know why. Starting is hard but there is also another rule i call "the cabbage rule" Quit while your ahead (a head) Dont work till you screw up. Do what you planned and work while things are going smoothly. When you become frustrated quit for the day and do something else.I hope this helps. It has worked for me.
Don

 

When I get burned out I just go to my other hobby. And before you know it my spirits are back !! It's amazing how it all just works out >>>>.

 

I normally make a list, then get some of my old magazines out and flip through 'em, and sometimes like other side, watch a good car flick. If nothing else, try and attend a local car show. That is usually good to get the juices flowing. Try and not let yourself get to the point I did on my last one..........got so down on it I sold it. I have regretted it every day since. Now I use that as inspiration too!

 

My oldest daughter recently asked me, "What was your life like before the list?" I couldn't remember. My own personal list is for car and hobby stuff, but my wifes frickin' "honey-do" list is a never-ending mile long sheet of paper that continually just pisses me off! LOL. Lists do help, if it's YOUR list!

I have to agree with some of the others here too, I can put in one of the "Mad Fabricators" dvd's and get all pumped up! I just watched volume 5 again yesterday! Other thatn that, I come here for car and art stuff, or to the Showrod Rally for model car inspiration! There's so much talent at these two sites, I don't know how anybody can't stay pumped looking at all the kool stuff!

 

I can relate..
Over the holiday I worked for 9 days straight out in my shop on my A build. Got alot figured out and alot done, But after going like that, I ran out of steam.
Now its so daam cold out, its hard to get motivated to go out there and work.
Not to mention no fun money to spend so all that I can do Is with what I already have. maybe depression has a part to do with it also?..If it would just get back up into the 30 degree area i might be more inclined to go out there and do something.

 

Usually hitting a car show or cruise night or even a junkyard gets me going again. Or, when I don't want to do something I just start putzing around and that usually gets me going. Once I am into it I am fine, it is starting it that ****s.

 

Dolmetsch has a good point....I've adopted this awhile back and didnt even know it!

"The Cabage Rule" is very important....With my luck whenever I get a bigger project pretty well complete, and it all went together right the first time...I hang it up, work on somethin else or just go in for the night...I usually pat the truck on the roof and tell her she did a good job too...

 

LOL! I can so relate to that. . .because once I see, on paper, in print, what I really need to do. . .the "And Then. . ." Syndrome, I tend to get overwhelmed and accomplish nothing. . .

For me, and yes, I am a complete newbie at this, what I've been doing to stay motivated is pick ONE aspect of my project that I want completed by a particular show. . .Granted, I'm not doing a ground-up build (my car runs and drives), so I have it slightly easier in certain ways. . .

But the way I've done it, so far is this. . . By X show, I'll get ________ done. . . It has helped me to stay focused on individual projects, rather than going, oh ****, And Then I need to do, And Then, And Then, And Then. . .

I will, as gawd is my witness, have my paint done for Round-Up. . .whether or not my headliner will be in by then, or a new carb/intake set-up, or the front seat finished, or or or or or or or or. . . is a different story

FWIW. . .

 

Winter....at least here it's the cure, when you're forced to cut back on car stuff for a while. Usually the timing is perfect, about the time I'm getting tired of thrashing on old stuff along comes winter and i can devote my time to oil painting and carpentry work. Then when i'm getting the jones for car stuff it warms up and off we go. Of course I can alway turn on the heat in the shop and play out there, but it's hard to justify the cost nowadays. If you want you can come up here and shovel some snow for a few days, you'll be happy to get back on the cars then!!!

 

I wonder how many projects never get running because of burnout. I was pretty fried just about five months before I actually took my first drive. I've thought about what I would have missed had I bailed out. I was pretty committed to it so that was never a real option for me.

As far as motivation, stepping away a bit can help. Having a list can too but it can also loom over you.

I always made a point to enjoy each little part as it's own project, not just part of the whole. A couple of days ago I stuck the third member and axles in the digger rear housing, moved my tired radial slicks from the wheels for the coupe to the ones I'll use on the digger. Slapped them on and now it's a roller. But I celebrated each little step getting there like narrowing the housing and building the third member. Make sense? Each little project can be a victory itself.

 

Lots of good advice. One thing a day, everyday helps.

Reading this thread really lifted my spirits also.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3519334#post3519334

Sometimes you need something to distract you, why not another project...

Mike
www.Customikes.com

 

After 2 builds, and some work on friends cars. My shop was a disaster. And when it gets that way is when I GET BURNED OUT. So the last couple of weeks instead of working on projects. I started a thorough cleaning of the shop. Including a reorganize of both tool boxes, put up cabinets. and just listen to the radio. No pressure, no time frame, sit down once in awhile just to survey how it is going. Then when it is all done. It is like a new shop ready for making a new mess in...ghost

 

No matter how tired I am, no matter how burned out I think I feel, I know I have to get something done. I take a six pack to the shop after having worked all day and put in at least 2 more hours there.

I'm at multiple standstill points on several projects. I'm blocking bondo on the 55 wagon, trying to straighten rear fenders. I really hate sanding but it's got to be done. Gotta cut the rear fender out of a riviera, brakes on the 53, adjust the valves on the 53 for the 10th time...

ah hell, the list goes on and on...

do something productive, no matter how small. Let your mind make you work. You know you should, you know you need to so just do it.

 

I got so worked up thinking about this thread that dispite the cold (KAULT!!!!!!!!!!!,) I went to the shop planning to do just one little welding job. I got it done. Cut the brackets for the uppper links on my front suspenion and made the links from 1 in 1/8th wall tubing and tacked the threaded ends in place through rosebud holes I drilled in the sides. It went so well i pulled out THE CABBAGE rule and "quit while I was a head".
Don

 

...so,...your user name isn't accurate all the time?

 

Everyone goes through it. I hadn't done much in the last year on the car. Then I found this site and started going to the Hamb meets at the Darkhorse. It got me off my ****. I'm now aiming for the round up. It also helps that I have a slave driving buddy who has come over the last couple of weekends and kicked my ****. A couple of more weekends and the car should be on the road.