Starting to get burnt out

[Nick Chapman]

Been doing detailing for a while now. GREAT cash flow, and not hard work, just time consuming. I don't know if it's just because I'm getting older, or if it's because I'm in pain(back problems), but I'm feeling a bit burnt out

Going to continue to detail for the next couple of weeks, and get my surgery date set up. Having 2 disks in my back worked on. L5/S1 will be fused, and L4/L5 will be getting an arificial disk. Surgery date should be around the end of this month, or the first of January.
I'm hoping that going throught the surgery and recovery period will give me the break I need to get back on top of things, and enjoy what I do again. Maybe it's the back pain thats causing all of this frustration? I really don't want to shut everything down completely.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Try raising your prices.

You'll either get less work or more work. If you get less work you get a break, if you get more work you'll have some extra cash flow to offset the burnt-out feeling.

Just an idea...

[akimel]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Nick, chronic pain, I know from personal experience, breaks a person down, little by little. It's so very hard to maintain a positive experience and enjoy life when each day is undermined by the constant pain. Even when the pain is muted by painkillers, it still takes away the joy.

So you should not be surprised that you are feeling "burnt out." Hopefully the surgery will bring to you much needed relief, as well as a respite from the detailing work.

Cheers,
Al

[Nick Chapman]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Nick, chronic pain, I know from personal experience, breaks a person down, little by little. It's so very hard to maintain a positive experience and enjoy life when each day is undermined by the constant pain. Even when the pain is muted by painkillers, it still takes away the joy.

So you should not be surprised that you are feeling "burnt out." Hopefully the surgery will bring to you much needed relief, as well as a respite from the detailing work.

Cheers,
Al

I hope thats the case! I really love what I do, even if I'm just cleaning carpets, something about it just makes me happy.
I'm hoping that getting rid of the pain, along with an 8 week rest to recoupe, will be exactly what I need to get back on my game.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

I hope thats the case! I really love what I do, even if I'm just cleaning carpets, something about it just makes me happy.
I'm hoping that getting rid of the pain, along with an 8 week rest to recoupe, will be exactly what I need to get back on my game.

I'll bet you that 4 weeks into this 8 week period you'll be going nuts and will find it difficult to hold yourself back from detailing. Don't let that urge take over though - get the recovery time you need and take care of yourself. You'll come back stronger and better than before.

And I agree with my esteemed colleague Mr. Phillips - raise your prices a bit when you come back.

[Mort Corey]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

It's probably just the beginning of your mid-life crisis The solution is a new toy (once you finish recuperating).......of course, that's only one of many good excuses for new toys.

Mort

[yalerd]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

I just hope everything goes well

[InfiniteDetail]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Maybe you can find apprentices to start taking over the detailing while you step into more of a management/supervisor role? You could grow your business that way too

In any case, good luck

I also like Mike's idea of raising your prices - you can't go wrong!

[Nick Chapman]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Maybe you can find apprentices to start taking over the detailing while you step into more of a management/supervisor role? You could grow your business that way too

In any case, good luck

I also like Mike's idea of raising your prices - you can't go wrong!

I tried the employee thing, and it just didn't work out. Guess I just got the wrong type of guys, but they really didn't do a good job and were constantly late. Thats not what I want my customers to see. Maybe I'm just too tough of a boss, but be there on time, and do a good job are 2 of my requirements. I haven't found anyone that can meet those requirements, so I'm a 1 man show

[Hemin8r]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Hey Nick, I've felt burnt out before but like Mike said I went crazy and had to detail something, anything. I'm sure the rest after surgery will do. Hope everything works out and you get the needed rest you deserve.

[sdprius858]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Don't take any drastic measures like selling everything. I would wait until after the surgery and see how you feel then, and like Mike and Mike said maybe raise your prices.

O and if you're willing to pay relocation fees, I would gladly relocate. Both on time and reliable.

[mshu7]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Due to the back issues you've mentioned, I'm compelled to respond to your thread.

Just a little history on me:
In 1997, at the age of 17 (just starting my senior year of football), I developed low back pain. Long story short, I had a herniated disc (L6/S1 - I have an extra lumbar vertebrae) and had my first surgery. Four weeks later the same disc re-herniated and I had a second surgery (2 in 2 months). Fast forward to 2006, I herniated another disc (L5/L6) and had a third surgery. The MRI that was performed also showed that I had degenerative disc disease (DDD) at both levels, which was causing me to have a lot of back pain over the years. About a year ago, I herniated another new disc (L3/L4). After viewing the new MRI results, not only did I have a new disc herniation, the discs that had DDD had also both herniated (3 total herniations). I'm once again in the process of trying to figure out a plan for surgery.

As you can see, I've had my fair share of back problems. For this reason, I have done A LOT of research on the subject. As you probably know, artificial disc replacement (ADR) is a new type of surgery. My surgeon has told me in the past that once you have two herniation surgeries on the same disc, the next step is fusion. Having done all this research, I know that a fusion is not ideal. Yes, it gets rid of the disc, but it creates more tension on other discs because you have multiple verts fused together. Once I found this out, I started looking into ADR more intensely. I've found that ADR has been performed for about 20 years in Europe. Unfortunately, the US is behind in technology and the US FDA only approves of single-level disc replacements. Knowing this, I've still not given up on ADR. I am highly against having a fusion surgery because of the negative effects it has on the spine.

A few months ago I read an article about a hospital in Germany receiving recognition for doing their 600th ADR surgery. After doing much research, I learned that this hospital specializes in ADR and that MANY Americans travel to this hospital to have ADR surgery performed because a) they can perform up to a three-level disc replacement and b) they are very experienced with the surgery. The hospital is called Stenum Hospital (http://www.stenumhospital.com/index.asp) and it's located in Bremen Germany.

Now before you completely discount the thought of traveling overseas for a surgery, I encourage you to do some research on it. You'll find that there are quite a few people traveling to other countries to have a wide range of surgeries because a) the US doesn't offer the surgery, b) the surgery in the US is ridiculously expensive and it can be performed for a fraction of the price in another country, or c) the foreign hospital is just that much more experienced in that area of surgery.

As far as insurance is concerned, I've learned that about 50% of insurance companies have ended up paying for patients to have these ADR surgeries at Stenum. Just know that it may take some fighting with your insurance provider. Also, you'll see on the Stenum website that surgery prices (depending on how many discs needing replaced) range from about $30k - $40k. Before your draw drops, you need to realize that even if this surgery could be performed in the US, it would cost at least 100k. Also know that the money spent to go to Stenum not only pays for the surgery, but for the complete care of you for a 2 week period. Essentially, you only have to pay for your flight there and back.

I highly suggest you at least consider doing some research on Stenum. I sent them my MRI and X-Ray films a while back and they not emailed me their recommendation, but also called my house (yes, international call). Their recommendation for me and my situation was a two-level disc replacement, just as I suspected. They also sent me a DVD documentary on the entire 2-week process that takes place over there.

As far as my situation is concerned, I believe that I will be able to have my L3/L4 herniation taken care of by my surgeon here. I am pretty sure this will at least get rid of the new pain I've had over the last year. Then, I'll start doing more research and stock-piling money in order to have the ADR surgery performed at Stenum since I can't have it performed here.

Alright, I feel like I've written a book in this post so sorry if it's a lot to read. Like I said at the beginning, having been through your situation, I feel compelled to give you my input. Knowing the ill-effects of fusion surgery, I hope you will consider what I've said here.

I wish you the BEST of luck with your situation and hope that no matter what you decide, everything works out in a positive way for you.

[RaskyR1]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Hope all goes well with the surgery Nick! We all enjoy your work VERY, VERY much, and I would hate to see you stop detailing.

Get well during you time off, do some soul searching, and maybe even finish that home theater project....

Detailing is in our blood! I think we all have those days were we feel burnt out. I find that just loggin onto MOL cheers me up on days like those, especailly when Meguiar's has new products like M205 coming out!


Rasky

[Ryan L.]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

I agree with Al, pain does make you feel burnt out. I used to love to do Tae Kwon Do (martial arts), did it 3-4 hours a day on top of school and playing baseball. I went to competitions almost every weekend until I dislocated my hip and tore a vertebrae in my neck during a sparing match. I was out for quite a while and during that time I couldn't wait to get back to it and start training again. I went back too early and ended up fracturing my hip a week later and again went through the process of waiting to go back. Ever since I went back I have had horrible pain in my hip and back and started hating it. I stopped going as often and I just didn't have the drive to keep me going once the pain took over the joys.

So I think once you get back to normal you will find detailing much more enjoyable.

Good luck!

Ryan

[BlueZero]

Re: Starting to get burnt out

Hang in there Nick! People need you. Somewhere out there right now is a person with a swirled paint job and no idea how to fix it.

I agree with the post about raising your prices and hiring the soon to be former architectural designer from Wisconsin to help. Great advise!