Dealing with Burnout (psych, not motor)

[Eric Larsen]

Question for the tradesmen and women out there.

How do you handle construction burnout? I've been finishing my house now since Christmas Eve. I've been working not less than eights, with hardly a day off since December.

I'd love to take some time off, but I'm taking a sabbatical from my real job in order to finish the house. Every day I'm away is just another $0-income day, and in this economy, money's tight (especially after taking four months off).

I think my problem is that at the end of the day, I live on the job site. The job site is a helluva lot more comfortable than when I moved in (now we have a floor, electricity, plumbing, cabinets, etc.). But every day it's the same thing -- wake up, have some coffee, work on the house (I'm doing stairs and trim now), work until dinner, eat, work a little more, take a shower, go to bed exhausted and sleep six hours so I can do it again tomorrow.

I keep telling myself this is all worth the effort. But even with light at the end of the tunnel, it's getting harder and harder to roll out of bed each morning.

Any suggestions? (Taking a couple days off really isn't an option right now, unfortunately.)

[David G Baker]

I had a rental house several years ago and really beat myself up working a job that required long hours and repairing a rental house at the same time. The lesson I learned is to seek out professionals that will do the things that I was weak at and do the things myself that I was good at and could do in a timely manner. Another plus was that I could deduct the hired labor from my taxes.
I hang Sheetrock but do not tape. I paint, patch do molding, install windows, do my own plumbing and electrical but hire out concrete work, Sheetrock taping and mudding, pay someone to do vinyl siding and roofing. At one time I did some of my own cabinets but have found a guy that has all of the tools and builds cabinets of very good quality cheaper than I can buy the low/middle cabinets at the Borg.
I spent three months doing everything that needed to be done to the rental and swore I would never do it again. I ate slept and worked, period. Made good money when I sold it.

[john dennis]

Here's the deal. If you fall off a ladder and break your arm, leg, hand, whatever, you'll be taking time off like it or not. Take at least one stinking day. Go to an afternoon movie. Have dinner. Go home. Make love. Get up the next morning and go back to work. Life is good again. Trust me.
Pops

[Jim Becker]

I agree with John...working hard and long is fine, but you must refresh your mind and body on a regular basis to maintain the pace. One day off per week is not going to seriously delay your project. In fact, it may speed things up.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Sometimes....the harder you work the behinder you get. Often the time away from a job, will refresh your mind and your outlook. The outlook is important. I'm with Jim.....take one day a week and spend it doing things you like and enjoy. It will definitely improve your outlook and possibly your output.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I did exactly that for several ancient homes one after the other.

It does get wearing. I think that the best thing to do is make up your mind that you are going to see it through and get r dun.

[Belinda Barfield]

At one point in my life I had a home based business, which required me to work indoors, and remodeled my house at the same time. I worked my job from 8 to 5, picked up the saw, hammer, or paintbrush - whatever, and worked until 9 or 10. Got up the next morning and did the same thing. About a month and a half into the remodel I was completely burnt out. Luckily, it was spring by this time so I started taking a one hour lunch break and going for a long walk every day. This helped tremendously. Then I decided that one day per week would be my day. I did things that were free, since all my money was tied up in the remodel, like trips to the beach, walks around downtown, and visits with friends. Taking that one day really allowed me to unwind and I was actually more productive the following week.

Good luck!

[Greg Cole]

Take a much needed break. You'll find more giddy up in your step when you've cleared your mind of this. If it wasn't wearing on you, you wouldn't be here asking advice.;)
I tend to push myself very hard with the idea of getting "it" done and then taking time to unwind etc.... pushing too hard makes the "its" much less enjoyable and much more toil. That will affect you, your wife, kids and or everyone around you... not too mention the level of work will be less and the quality might slip a little too as ya just wanna get it done & be done with it.
Example: I resided (incliding removing old siding adding insulation, house wrap etc), reframed for larger windows (and obviously replaced windows) replaced all exterior trim & lastly stripped and roofed the place in September of 06. I did this all in 6 days with one helper, my 63 year old Dad (who's not a ww'er nor. Days 1, 2 & 3 FLEW by and a HUGE amount of work was done and done cheerily, whistling whilst I worked, playful banter with the old man. Days 4,5 & 6 were more toil and there was more and more negative energy about having too much to do in a short time.
The end of day 6.. I had all I could do to drag my stuff off the roof and eating dinner at 8pm that night was a chore. We were supposed to celebrate being done with a nice dinner out with my Dad and wife. The only celebration that night was hitting the pillow.
How excited do ya think I was to get up on day 7 and start cleaning up the mess around the house?
Oddly enough every time I ask Dad when he's coming to visit, he says he's not so sure he wants to?

Not many people have the opportunity to do what you are doing. You should be enjoying (or at least not dreading every day like many people do with their day jobs) this chance.
FWIW, I'd do it in a heartbeat if I could & plan on building much of my retirement home when I get there.

Take the time you deserve. Be well.

Greg - who seems to never be able to write a short post.:confused:

[Jon Lanier]

Go to church on Sunday's. That will refresh you mind, body and soul. A good Rambo movie thrown in will help as well. :rolleyes:

[Sandra Force]

If you are afraid of loosing time on the house look at it this way. You are going to work faster and make less mistakes with a fresh mind and willingness than you are fried. Take the day off and spend it doing something fun with the family and if you cannot stand it work a little extra one or two days to make it up. :cool:

I think that you will find that you are ahead in the long run.

[Jay Jolliffe]

Sounds like what we did in 2003.....My wife & I moved to Maine. To a wooded lot at first. Lived in a tent from June to November until it started snowing. During that time we built ourselves my work shop that was 22' X 30' with a bath room. I partitioned off a space that was 8' x 21' & that is what we lived in for two years while we built the house which is 2,000 sq ' & is a modified cape design which my wife designed. I know what it's like to live on the job site. We did it for 2 years & then moved into the house. My wife said that she would not live in the shop for another winter so we made it livable & workable. The only thing that we had help with was the cement foundation & sheetrock. I had someone give me a price on the sheet rock & when he said over 200 10' sheets he had the job. I couldn't of built this with out the help of my wife. She did a lot. From hauling lumber, using a nail gun to pushing up walls that weighted 5 times as much as she did. Doing it yourself takes a lot of time. Doesn't help when one of you is a perfectionist:o. We didn't work for 3 years. A lot of money went out & nothing came in. Talk about being tired , Ha ah physically & mentally. I could go on & on & were still not done. Outside is almost except for the screens on the porch & the interior is about 80 percent done. A few more windows & closet doors to finish. Then we had to deal with the insurance company about construction insurance. That's a joke. They told us that we had to have it done in 12 months...or they wouldn't renew it. Now who do you know that can build a house themselves in 12 months. We busted our a** to do it & they didn't even come to see if it was done. They just renewed it without looking...The only pics I have on the computer are from this winter so take a look at what someone in there mid fifties did & will never do it again....But what I can say is the satisfaction you get by sitting looking at what you built there knowing that you built this house & you did it your way its a lot of work but its worth it & were still married after doing all this :p

[Gordon Harner]

You didn't mention whether you were working with anyone to help. I'm in the middle of a kitchen gut/redo and I can relate to your situation. I've been doing a lot of the work myself. It is a pita at times without help, even if the help doesn't have skills and will listen. For me talking to myself isn't much fun either. I think you need stimulating help and a change of pace. Burnout leads to too many problems.

[Jay Jolliffe]

Sorry Eric I got side tracked banging my own drum. We worked 7 days a week about 12 to 15 hrs a day. My wife & I got real short with each other. I decided we needed time for us & not to be working so we went camping. It was great. Didn't think about the house, well I tried not to but you know how that is. You need to take time for your self & take a break. The work will get done. You'll feel a lot better. :)

[Mike Cutler]

I know what it's like to live on the job site. We did it for 2 years & then moved into the house. My wife said that she would not live in the shop for another winter so we made it livable & workable.

Jay

I'm nominating your wife for sainthood. Two Maine winters in a temporary shop. Holy cow!!!

Eric

Whether you want to or not, you need to take some time off. When you're tired, you make mistakes, it's human.
We always want to be making "forward progress", and "work in parallel", but it comes at a cost. Hopefully just some rework.

Take some time off Bro'.

[Tim Morton]

It might be a good idea to looking to hiring "some" of this project out and going back to work part time. Mix it up a little and in the long run you might come out ahead.

Good Luck!!!

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I lived in Maine for a while Jay and judging from that second picture you could use a thing called a snow rake. Yup it's fer raking the snow.

Ya gotta rake the snow in the north country.

I remember the first time someone told me I needed one. I looked at 'em like hey had four heads.

[Greg Cole]

I lived in Maine for a while Jay and judging from that second picture you could use a thing called a snow rake. Yup it's fer raking the snow. Ya gotta rake the snow in the north country.
I remember the first time someone told me I needed one. I looked at 'em like hey had four heads.

Cliff, I grew up in northern Vermont. Now living in Kansas City I was trying to explain having to "rake the roof" when I lived with the folks. Nobody here knew what I was talking about, and they thought I was full of BS.
Well, might be full of BS, but I was always the one raking the darned roof!
Hadta google it for the coworkers to admit I'm only partially full of BS.
Greg

[Marty Rose]

Sir, you DO NOT HAVE BURNOUT, you have luck. One year ago my foot was bothering me. I went to my Dr. who sent me to a Orthopedic Specialist, who operated on my foot. I still sit here with my foot raised. Two operations later, Staph infection, Antibiotics everyday between 2:00 and 6:00 PM, Home Nursing so my leg DOES NOT GET AMPUTATED, this will continue for at least 6 more weeks. Looking at all of my tools just sitting there staring back at me, MY FRIEND THAT IS BURNOUT-DEPRESION,what every you want to call it. Feel lucky and fortunate that you can walk and work, and not just sit with your leg up in the air so blood clots as well as the infection don't get to your heart. But I am of a good mind,because I know it is for JUST SIX MORE WEEKS.http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Ben Grunow]

Hi Eric. I am going on almost 3 years of every night after work and every sat and some sundays (10 hours ish these days) having done all my framing (help here only), siding/flashing/ext trim, ductwork, electrical, plumbing and I am finally making kitchen cabs (made our cape into a 2 1/2 story colonial so old kitchen is still in use).

To say the least, I am burned out. In addition, I am a carpenter during the day so I take of my tools at 4, drive home and get out of the truck and put the belt back on and go after it. I will tell you what keeps me going.

1. wife who is interested and supportive of what I am doing. Does NO work but make dinner/lunch and does laundry and takes care of kids 1/4.

2. occasional party where friends (who I never see anymore) can marvel at what I have accomplished. Boosts the ego.

3. well set up/organized shop so work is easy not aggravating. I tend to make several measurements and go to the shop to cut several pieces and return to fit and install. Keep a list with you of the lengths and gang them up to increase production/quality and limit dust in the house and clean up time.

4. the pleasure of living in my creation.

I look at this time in my life as a once in a lifetime opportunity to build something right and live in it for a long time. I think that perspective is the difference here. I realize that my situation is temporary and the long term benefits will exceed the hardships. I actually wake up on saturday tired and somewhat self destructively enjoy pushing my sore body to work at full speed. Only because I know that every hour saved now is an hour on the other end that my job will be done and I can sit back and enjoy it.

Try the party thing. It works. Push yourself relentlessly until it is over and you will be satisfied knowing that you had no more to give and you accomplished a great feat.

[Brian Elfert]

I spent about a year spread out over 15 months finishing two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and the basement along with sheetrocking the garage. This is all so I can sell my house which might not happen this year in today's market.

I originally thought it was a three to four month project working evenings and weekends. In early July last year I still wasn't done and the best home selling season was over for the year. I quit for about three months to do some other things in my life for a while. I restarted in October and finally finished in late March this year. It didn't help that I was sick for almost three weeks in March and did very little then.

To keep from burning out completely I didn't come straight home and start working. I spent up to two hours relaxing before spending a few hours working. Most of my work got done on weekends. I also kept a lot, but not all, of my social obligations so I wouldn't go totally crazy.

I would have hired out more stuff had I know how long it would take and the amount of energy required. I ended up spending more money than I planned along the way.

[Eddie Watkins]

LOML and I remodeled our first project while we lived in it. We were both working fulltime jobs and coming home and working half the night on the house. We finally decided we had to have an area where you could not see any of the remodel so we picked out the master bedroom and completely finished it so we could go sit down and have someplace that was clean where we could not see the devastation and chaos around us. We put a chair and TV in there so we could sit and relax after we showered and just unwiind. It seemed to work for us.

Eddie

[Eric Larsen]

Great news! I'm taking the next two weeks off from my "finish the house" project. :D

The bad news is I'm taking the time off because of bursitis. :mad: I can barely move one knee -- all the flooring took its toll.

[Jim Becker]

I recommend all kinds of physical therapy, Eric... ;)

[Chris Padilla]

Everyone here pretty much as the right idea. One just needs to take a break to charge the old batteries. My wife and kid left for vacation one September and I took the same time off of work to work on my garage/shop. Out of that 3 weeks, I probably spent 12 hours/day working but I took time to go see 2 or 3 matinee movies. It weird going to see a new movie for cheap, no crowds, sun above my head but it was really cool, too!