I'm normally up around 6:30 AM but never leave my home til 10 AM except on saturday when I do a specific dealership in town. I try not to work til I totally get myself together which sometimes feels like forever. So, whats your trip like?
------------------ HotLines Joey Madden,45 years in the Classic Art of Pinstriping.
posted
I try to get up about 5:30 am and slowly get started, finish any cutting or weeding I might have to do, do some billing and account work on PC, make something to eat, and head out by 10am. If I can get everything done the night before, I sleep in until 6:30.
------------------ Mike Clayton Barnegat, NJ MC Graphics http://www.visualnoise.com/mcg/ mike@visualnoise.com
"Life is what goes on while you are busy making plans!"
Posts: 27 | From: Barnegat, NJ, USA | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Joey, usually up between 6:30/7:30, but getting to work? well I'm always at work, no matter where I am or what time it may be.
Though most folks think I'm retired,thats actually not the case. Just today I was thinking about a new product(Jolly Rogers Fish Bite Formula) Got a certain ring to it, don't ya think ??
Roger(on the job)Bailey
------------------ Roger Bailey Rapid Tac Incorporated Waikoloa, Hawaii
posted
well look at the time of this post....damn computer h/d wont let me in it(iam on the wifes computer now)..so i gots copy all info to a new 30 gig h/d then refomate the 6 gig and rebuild it...and i may get started tomarrow about noon.....
------------------ joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-944-5060 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND
Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
I'm up at 5:30 and piddle my way through the day. Seems like there are so many little things to do that do not generate money.
By the end of the day, I turn into a mad man trying to squeeze out as much work as I can in the last couple of hours.
I had no idea that others do the same thing, until now.
------------------ Draper The Signmaker Bloomington Illinois USA My Next Article In The April Issue of Sign Builder Illustrated covers step by steps on "digital airbrushing" YOU CAN DO! 309-828-7110 drapersigns@hotmail.com Draper_Dave on mIRC chat
Posts: 2883 | From: Bloomington Illinois USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
6 am now and I am on my second cup of coffee. I like to get stuff done in the morning.
Joe...yer up at that hour?????? Either you S*** the bed or yer still awake from last night! Seems to me we woke you up at 11 am a couple of years ago!
------------------ Dave Grundy AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@quadro.net www.quadro.net/~shirley
posted
The alarm goes off at 4:45am and the second one at 5:00 (if I don't get up with the first one). I try to commit 20 minutes to the treadmill to make my doctor happy, then shower and try to be in the shop by 6:00. The phone starts ringing around 6:30 sometimes so I try to get a good start on the day before all the interruptions start.
Needless to say, I'm pretty grouchy if anyone calls me at 9:00pm. I find my best and most successful customers are the ones that start early. One guy called at 6:30am and said he had been working in his office since 4:00am waiting to call me at a decent hour to set up appointments for truck lettering. He gives me thousands of dollars worth of work every year, so I live with the early calls.
Must get back to work now, have someone showing up at 8:00am with a trailer.
posted
Up at 7am, in the shop by 9:30 or 10:00. I aint a morning person. I usually work until 5:30 or 6 in the evening, unless I have something that's under the gun. THen I'll work until it's done.
------------------ John Deaton III Deaton Design 109 N. Cumberland Ave.,Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-573-9101
posted
I Get up at 6:30.....make coffee....take kids to school...but don't actually get started doing sign work until 9:30 or 10:00am but then I am often up late working, so it all works out!
posted
I am NOT a morning person at all. I just feel fuzzy until around noon. However, because I'm so diligently self trained from having a storefront, I'm in my shop 9-9:30 am, answering the phone from inside the house starting at 9:00. If I get paged and I'm up to playing the game earlier, I'm on the phone 7:30 ish on.
I attempt to book in my appts in the AM so I have to get with it. And I should stay off line until I get some work done. However here it's 10am and my coffee is only brewing now. I do NOTHING without my first cup of coffee. Except visit the bb.
Seems there are morning people or night owls, never both.
posted
Well.. the first time I wake up in the morning it's usually about 5:00am.. I'm ready to go at this point, amazing since I dont usually go to bed til 1am. I usually force myself to sleep a bit longer though, which means at about 8:30 am it's now real tough rollin outta bed. More sleep=more tired.. go figure.. hehe..
By the time I take the dog out, eat and stretch out it's 10:am then I gotta check email and this BB (hey look, it's 10:39 am here, right on time).. Gotta answer the emails I've been neglecting a past few days, answer a few of the new ones.. So it's usually about noon before I even get into production mode, but at that point it's time for lunch.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Up at 7:00 to work at 8:00 quit at 5:00.........or 6:00 or 6:30.
------------------ "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." Albert Einstein
Failure to advertise is a lot like blinking in the dark. Nobody, but you, knows what you're doing.
posted
Up at 3:45, drive the 32 miles to town and open at 5:am........close at 2:30, head back to LostPrairie and open the recording studio at 3:30. Tell lies on the internet, kneel down and pray for Grundy's soul and in bed by 9:00
------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com 800 735-8026 We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
posted
Up at 5:45, tickle, pinch, yell, scream etc... to get my son out of bed(he's 8). Do the mad dash in the morning getting him & myself rolling. Out of the house by 7:20, drop him off at school by 7:30 and to the shop by 8am. I hit the e-mail and the BB for a bit (or until the phone won't quit ringin'). I spend a couple of hours doin the phone and computer thing and the rest of the day just seems to roll by. Outta here shortly after 5 for son's soccer, scouts etc... and then start all over again!
------------------ Greg Gulliford aka MetroDude Metro Signs and Banners 1403 N. Greene St. #1 Spokane, WA 99202 509-536-9452
posted
dave...i was still up from the day before...and iam on central time the board post adds an hour......hey perrie...prayin for grundy....hahahahahaha
------------------ joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-944-5060 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND
Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Crackin at 5:00 a.m. with the sound of the birds chirping and the new rising sun. I dash down the basement and put some clothes in the dryer and grab a glass of water, sometimes checking the email, and then to get my son up at 6:10. That's the first ten or fifteen minutes of my morning. Most good customers usually call between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. so I try to be home until 10:30. Even though I work at home, I am "all business" for the most part of the day. I love it when I can wear painting clothes one day and schedule the appointments in the corporate office settings another day! Saves on changing time! ( I don't mind customers calling on the phone in the evening if it is worthwhile and they work two jobs, because I understand. But that rarely happens.
------------------ Deb Creative Signs "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime."
Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Up at 2:30 a.m., eat at 3, on the road by 3:45 -- 35 miles to Anaheim, e.t.a. depends on how bad the traffic is on the 5. So far 7 times in 4 months there have ben snafus so I need some extra time to get there. We start work at 5:00, in the park, but it doesn't get light these days 'til 6:30 or so, and we have 'til anywhere from 6:30 to 9:30 to get the work done, dry the paint and be gone. The rest of the day, 'til 1:30 is for in-shop work, prepping for the next day, etc. -- and since the 5 fwy is packed at 1:30 I take the long way home = 45 miles. A good hour to 2 hours. In bed around 6:00, if I can make it.
Wears an old man out! I'm naturally a night owl. Sheesh!
------------------ "If it isn't fun, why do it?" Signmike@aol.com Mike Languein Doctor of Letters BS, MS, PhD ___________________
You know what BS is, MS is More of the Same, and it's Piled Higher and Deeper here
posted
Up around 7:30 to 7:45am, coffee and web news sites. Open at 9:00 and usually leave right at 5:00. If I can't get it done in those hours then whats the point? This disciplines me to be very productive in my use of time. I know others who will have 12 hour or more days and never seem to get any work done, always time for it later I guess. Also nice that my shop is a block away.
------------------ Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Since 1978 www.wrightsigns.bigstep.com All change isn't progress, and all progress isn't forward.
Posts: 2787 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Up at 0630. In to work by 8. Close at 5 pm. Clockwork. No overtime. Will work on the weekends if needed but I am no good without regular hours. Life is too good to be spending it at work. Best thing we ever did was get the shop out of our house.
------------------ Kevin Landry KnL Signs Halifax NS
posted
Hi Y'all! I AM a mornin' person. How I begin the day will set the tone for the rest of the day. Alarm goes off a 3a.m. Leave the house at 4a.m. Load up on Caffiene(the only drug I refuse to give up). Then git on with the bizzyness of the day so I can git some time with my wife and boys.
Just waking up means Life Is Good, Chris
------------------ Chris Bryant Puyallup, WA (253) 841-3838 bryantsigns@earthlink.net
Posts: 49 | From: Puyallup, Washington 98374 | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
It's 1 am and I'm just now getting a second wind. As a home business (and a single guy for only 17 more days) I've never gotten out of bed before 10 am. Mostly 11. By noon, I return calls poolside in the noonday sun, have brunch and wash the yellow pollen coated shop truck.
Here in the Washington DC area, we have the nations second worst traffic problem . My hats off to you Mr. california signguy.
So All my appts. are scheduled around rush hour. I don't hit the highway till it's clear (noon) and always make sure I'm home before it starts (2:45). I refuse to waste hours sucking fumes on hot asphalt.
I schedule installations in the evening either A: my garage for a 4pm to 8pm appt.and they pick it up at noon the next day
or B: I show up at your place at 3:00 pm and come home after rush hour clears at 8:00 pm
I prep the next days designs, weed, tape and prep until I've watched leno, conan, and The history channels Modern Marvels. These are Late-Very late shows for you early birds.
At 1 am I take a break, pop some corn and finish up at 3 or 4 am.
My soon to be wife hits the hay at 10 pm and rises at 6, so I know I'm in for some changes.....Please Pray for me also, Im NOT a morning person, And I don't drink coffee!
------------------ Mike Duncan Lettercraft Signs Alexandria VA
From here on down, its all up hill.
Posts: 1328 | From: Centreville, VA | Registered: Oct 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ya'll are scaring me with all this 5am stuff. I get up when I wake up, usually between 8 and ten. I will muck around in the thop for awhile making a point to never hit the road until at least 9:45 , let the folks with the real jobs get off the highway. I seldom have full eight hour days ahead of me so leaving early is pointless besides they are ALWAYS in meetings til 10:30 or eleven. On rare occasions I will get up real early to hit the interstate to work out of town but most times I take it easy, hey I'm not gonna get rich doing this, might as well have some benefits to it
------------------ George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@ionictech.com
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
posted
I don't get up until 8:30am...in my shop between 9:00 and 9:30.....still waking up at 11:00am. I spend most of the day dealing with customers in the shop or on location...Installations....making deliveries....reception/returning calls...or just running in circles. I don't actually get to start working on the computer until around 6:00pm......Then I start production around 9:00 or 10:00pm and finish anywhere between 12:00am and 4:00am....get a few hours sleep if I can! And I don't even have kids!!!! What the heck will I do then? Gee....maybe I should hire someone...lol
------------------ Brenda Beaupit Classic Graphics Kemptville, Ont CANADA
Posts: 346 | From: Stittsville, ON | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Holy Cow!!!! I wouldn't even dream of getting up before 6 am! WHY????
I'm a former night owl recently converted to an early bird. I wake between 6-7am, and love the morning hours I get to myself now. It's amazing how much I can get done before noon now. I work as long as I care to, or as long as it takes.
I do like to have my evening hours free. Love to spend quality time with my guy, and with friends.
I've found such a refreshing balance between work, play and sleep!
Nettie
------------------ "When Love and Skill Work Together ... Expect a Masterpiece"
posted
I punch a clock at 7:30 and 4:00, but here's the day my body seems to prefer: I'm up tween 4-4:30 check in here, do some billing/org/ design work till 8AM. take nap til 10AM. up to handle production/calls/etc. nap again at 1:30 to 3:00. 3:00 to 8-9 more production/calls etc. Some day!
------------------ Bill Dirkes Bethel Hill Signs Butler, Ky. Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.
Posts: 591 | From: Bellevue,Ky. US | Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wow, I'm also blown away by some of these timeframes!
I've personally found that a regular schedule (meaning one where I'm working when my customers are awake) makes me more money. How do you find how income effects those that sleep in long, or quit early?
Brenda, you be a crazy girl! When you have kids one day, you won't put the almightly buck in the #1 spot, so you'll automatically change a few things. If you're that busy where you have to work all night, you do need some at least part time help. I personally refused to stop working all night for customers because life isn't all about 100% work. An employee can be an invaluable asset if you require the help and wish for a life too.
posted
Donna, The time frame has not affected my bottom line. In fact it has become my niche. My customers LOVE the fact they don't lose down time having their truck, van , or trailer parked and out of commission for a day. This represents a substantial loss for some of these guys who get 70-120/bucks an hour when this vehicle is on the road.
Thats over 500 bucks in lost revenue. They are more than happy to accomodate my hours as it's PROFITABLE for them.
Word has spread fast, and my business has grown from it. It very unusual, but I like spending the "daytime" doing what I want to do.
Well, it's 7:00 PM, and I've got a trailer to do - Time to get to work!
------------------ Mike Duncan Lettercraft Signs Alexandria VA
From here on down, its all up hill.
Posts: 1328 | From: Centreville, VA | Registered: Oct 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm with Donna on this one! I'm pretty blown away by some of these time lines too.
For years I've been striving for the balance between "a life" and "a job".
I'm the closest I've been yet. In fact, for the first time, I can actually describe my job as being a wonderful part of my life ... but not too much of it.
As for the bottom line. Well, it's all good, and "the life" is especially great having that balance it so needed!!!!
Nettie
------------------ "When Love and Skill Work Together ... Expect a Masterpiece"
posted
Before I had kids I was a night owl. Then I became a mom and adjusted my work schedule to coincide with my kids. I get up early now...because I have to! And you make it work. My kids ARE my life.
posted
My nic comes from my hours (for those inquiring minds... ) and my hours are pretty much when the Moon is up and visible!
Being raised by a Swing Shift/Graveyard California Highway Cop dinner at 11pm was perfectly "normal".
I am the night owl... or "The Moon Child" and besides, I'm so darn white the sun turns me red as a tomato even when I'm the shade... inside the house! Daylight hours are not my friend.
I am up promptly at 9am, 9:15am and out of bed by 9:30am. Once I get the Tiny Moon (Katie) on the bus at 10:45am the day is mine~ I do computer work, bookwork, a little design work (if the blood has reached the brain by then) and I call for printer quotes on the projects in the works. Or I do house stuff. Or my own stuff.
By 2pm the Little Moon (Jackie) is home and the chaos begins. Life with kids is entertaining~ Softball, Soccer, Dance...
After the kids have settled and Heath has called all building to a halt (my shop and our ever changing house) then it's my time again! I work on design and production from 8pm until whenever I have it all out of my system. Some nights I get a creative bug up my butt and I CAN'T quit until the sun comes up! Heath is ALWAYS surprised to see my eyes open at 6am when he's getting Little Moon off to school and himself out the door to his "real job".
My time schedule is not "normal" for most, but like Mike Duncan basically says, it works for my customers and it works for me. I get to spend all the time I want to with my kids and only occasionally I have to sacrafice sleep time for work, but never family time... that is important to me.
If I keep organized and disciplined... it doesn't matter what my hours are.
It blows the minds of the local morning people around here that feel it's their duty to "keep me in line", but that's part of the fun. There is no rule book in life that says you must get up at 7am and be in bed by 10pm. So I don't.
Organization, structure, and discipline are the keys to success. For me anyways.
The happy side of the Moon
P.S. This just in today... I was calling for another quote on a printed project and I got offered a "day job" or a "real job" at that printers shop. Part-time three days a week. Tempting... the regular income. Oh, and for those morning people that want to convert us night people- I will be doing the 8am - 5pm shift. So add one more to your list of converted victims!
------------------ The Moon aka: Stefenie Harris Moonlight Designs Pollock Pines, CA learnin' somethin' new every day!
Posts: 550 | From: Pollock Pines, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Since I think sleeping is a waste of time, I don't do a lot of it.
Wake up at 5(with, or without alarm), shower, get dressed, fix a Coke, sit on the porch and watch the world come to life. In the shop by 6:30. Days work done by Noon. Usually spend the afternoon messing around in the yard. These days, I spend it working on the new shop. Wife gets home about 5:30. Spend the evening with the fam. Start bookkeeping and design about 10:30 when everyone else goes to bed. Usually get to bed around 1 or 2.
------------------ Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane.
Posts: 2316 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
There's nothing like getting up before the sun does and walking outside with a warm cup of whatever and taking that deep breath of the freshest air around. Even though we have no brush fires, factories, highways, etc. it is still a lot fresher at 5, than at 7. And quiet? Yes, except for the wildlife (the backyard variety), and the whistling and chirping of the backyard symphony. Yes, I have much more time for my kids this way. I have always worked for myself to be there for them.. a nap in the day is a great idea. I wondered who invented them? Call it a power nap, a siesta, a lunch break, whatever, but that is a great way to deal with the ever demanding energy of home and business. It may be more than an 8 hour day, you never know!
------------------ Deb Creative Signs "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime."
Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged |
Seems to me we woke you up at 11 am a couple of years ago! 
) and my hours are pretty much when the Moon is up and visible!
Daylight hours are not my friend.
Printer-friendly view of this topic