I can agree with that. Doing the same old boring crap certainly doesn't help the problem.
> I have no field crew other than me. I do all the field work and all the drafting.
...maybe it is time to hire a protege. Seriously, we have some new blood in our office after a VERY long time, and it helps.
I went through the upgraded equipment stage . . . didn't work.
Working SOLO(truly SOLO), is lonely work and turns work into . . . work.
Watching all my mentors dying doesn't help and only leaves me thinking that no matter how much I love surveying, I love life more.
I'm almost afraid to die as a surveyor . . . after all I've been doing it . . . loving it for over 35 years.
I remember what it's like to fall head-over-heels in love 24/7. . . the constant flow of dopamine(sp), the constant excitement of discovery, sleepless nights and the tunnel visioned perspective to the detriment of all the other things in life.
Those kinds of relationships usually last months at best and leaves a person wondering about the whirlwind he/she just got caught it . . . along with a re-introduction to all the "other" things that were forgotten and put aside for those few months.
SURVEYING, was my "love" for 35 years . . . foresake all else . . . I guess I fell too hard . . . too long.
Now, I almost hate surveying for what "I" allowed it to become to me, at the exclusion of all the things that were a very central part of who I was(and really still am).
Maybe there's some other thing you've always wanted to try but haven't. Everybody's situation is different. I survey and farm. If I had to do either for 16 hours/day, I wouldn't make it. But I can survey for 8 hours and farm for another 8, and that doesn't bother me. Of course I don't do that every day, but I find I can clear my head just by having some other productive thing to look forward to doing.
I with you you on this one . Went through brutle summer last year . When the economy went tits up I had to go me and one guy. Over the 3 years I have about worked myself to the point I started to hate surveying. This year I hired a 2nd employee and I am in the office . Things are better and I am spending a lot more time with the family , hobbies and life. Bottom line I just could not do it all anymore and I was completely burnt. I have a new outlook on surveying . Hire someone to help you, you will bill more and get some down time.
When I was in college I used to go into a coffee shop sometimes in the morning and there was a guy named “Joe” sitting at a table drinking coffee holding court. When asked what do you do he always used to laugh and say: “A little of this and a little of that.” I always aspired to be able to say that and I think I have finally achieved that goal.
I do some surveying, some maintenance of some rental property, some gardening, cut some wood and clearing brush, my wife and I raise horses (miniature) which we drive, I read a fair amount and I like to get a lot of physical activity. It’s tempting when there is a lot of work to do, to work at the exclusion of everything else. I know, I’ve made that mistake, more than once. Nothing will burn you out quicker. I hope that I can remember this when the volume of work gets so great that I could work to the exclusion of everything else if I wanted to. I hope I don’t succumb to that temptation.
Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket. When you work, work hard, but don’t work to the exclusion of life’s other activities. When you have fun have fun hard too. Try to achieve a sense of balance.
That’s my goal anyway. I hope I can keep doing it.
Post Here More Often ???
May be a good tip, may be a bad tip.
"Burnout" = "exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy"
"Ehausttion"
To avoid exhaustion it is necessary to walk away from the task from time to time. Walking away is harder for a solo operator because he knows there is no one else to complete the task. Yet businesses have found it to their advantage (why else would they do it) to grant 2 weeks of vacation to employees. Be a smart businessman and require your employee to take 2 weeks off each year. In addition take a few weekends off. Take a religious retreat or go to a health spa, anywhere there is concentrated relaxation of the mind/body. Many businesses provide a 1/2 hour lunch to employees, make sure you do likewise. I very often work with another surveyor and that 1/2 hour is sacrosanct with him. Shut down the job in your mind, don't even discuss what will be done next with him. Business not discussed during lunch break, i.e. it is not a time to make/take business calls.
"Cynicism" a general lack of faith or hope in the human race.
Like I said: "Post Here... May be a good tip, may be a bad tip."
Include yourself in the human race definition above. Recover your faith and hope in the human race. Take a religious retreat or make a religious pilgrimage. Take pro bono work. You will have a different attitude of yourself while you are surveying for a Habitat for Humanity, Church or Scout project. Get involved with with Scouting, you skills qualify you to do Surveying or Orienteering Merit Badges, or in Webelos Cub Scouting the Engineer Belt Loop. Take a week and volunteer at Scout summer camp, for those merit badges and/or do them throughout the year. I had only one personal requirement for going out with a Scout Troop for a weekend of orienteering: "feed me."
"Inefficacy"
To combat inefficacy work instead on "efficacy"
Take a surveying course that interests you, take the time off and go to a state survey convention, do not discuss your business while you are there, instead increase your efficacy.
Whatever it is you are doing, you cannot keep doing the exact same thing 24/7.
BTW, I have done and still do all of the above.
Paul in PA
Go Fishing...
I remember being in Sanibal for a week in the early 80s. All I did was fish and caught whiting to hammerhead sharks. This summer,I got my self re-rigged for fishing.
but.. find some other activity to 'follow your bliss'.
You can get involved in a community activity or cause. I do soccer and it has become a 365 day activity. Besides assisting somewhat in a Summer academy program, I am involved in the player registration and marketing effort now. Season begins at the end of August and that will go on to mid May. I am also getting involved with the local boys/girls club here which is undegoing a revivial.
I was asked to be on the local Louisiana Bicentennial commitee but turned it down because it interfered with my soccer life.
Clean out, paint and re-arrange your office might help also.
This is exactly what I was talking about on Friday.
Also, according to my doctor us engineer/surveyor types carry more stress about work than the average person. Add being a small business owner to that multiplies it even more. I am following his advice and trying to learn to increase my "F^ck It Factor" as he calls it. I have to let things go and not try to be in control of everything all the time. Easier said than done when you are the rain maker and not just a piece of the puzzle in your business life.
I have cut back on trying to do every job that comes through the door. Some jobs/clients are just not worth getting involved with and actually cause stress and burnout.
I love surveying. It is an excellent way to earn a living. However, if you are always thinking of the productive work aspect, it can be stressful. I sometimes mix some completely non-productive, just for fun surveying surveying into the work week.
Volunteer work on the KY/TENN state line was fun work that took my mind off of the day to day grind of billable hours.
I've made a couple of how-to videos that I sent to the local survey chapter members. Nothing fancy, but some people hopefully benefited from them. I did get some positive feed-back from some people.
got this link this morning: http://play.simpletruths.com/movie/the-empty-pickle-jar/?cm_mmc=CheetahMail-_FR-_-06.15.12-_-PickleJarMovie&utm_source=CheetahMail&utm_campaign=PickleJarMovie
about 3 minute video that starts predictable, but the message is a good one: focus on what's important.
and yes, go fishing 🙂
Who's to say burnout is a bad thing..
any tips to avoid burnout??? The recession...
The recession has gone a LONG way towards helping me appreciate work coming in the door again. We've never come to a stand-still with work yet, but it has gotten slow enough that I appreciate giving estimates and getting more work. Also, I'm pretty close to being able to retire and when I actually think about not surveying anymore, it makes me kind of sad.
Number one way to avoid burnout. Up your prices.
And fire a couple of clients.
Nate
I have almost burnt out many times. All it takes is that really complicated, research-intensive survey to make me love it all again. The field work is good, but finding that one deed that clears up everything is so awesome!
