My Garage is trying to kill me!

Well mainly due to lack of beingable to find anyone who will show up I been running my shop as a 1 man show so 20hr day 7days a week for months still not getting anywere and losing $$$ hand over fistand a new baby due in a couple months. I'm stressed to say the least! Tuesday I was at the shop getting some stuff done and Bam I woke up in the hospital! Apperintly I had a MI or heart atack! 2nd one and I'm 32! Stress was dr opion and I have to agree! So my life long love or metal and kewl cars is trying to kill me! So here I am at a cross roads stressed out in a hospital bed!

 

Man Good help is hard to find.... Get some rest. I wish the best for you and your family.

 

As hard as it may be, it may be best to close shop for a few days or so and get much needed rest. It may be wise to start looking for new help. I know good help is hard to find, but the next guy could be your ticket.

 

Best part of life is you and your family. No matter what you do for a honest living.

 

Keep going the way you are and your life will be very short. The next time you just won't wake up.

Stop doing the 20 hour or more days, limit your time to 10-12 hours max and eat well and get some rest. You also need to take at least one day a week away from the shop.

Hire some help, you need it.

 

hope everything turns out for the good ,stress is a mofo !!! even when your doing something you enjoy,your health is something money can't buy,got the same problem !!!

 

Prayers sent for a quick recovery. Anything worth doing requires all that you can throw at it but, even Clint Eastwood said: " A man's gotta know his limitations" Listen to your body. OUT!

 

If your working 20 hours a day, 7 days a week and still loosing money, you need to reevaluate your business! Something is really wrong.

The guy that said you need to limit yourself to 10-12 hours a day and no more then 6 days in a row is dead on. There is more to life then work and money. My father was self employed for 40 years and made good money. When I opened my shop, his words of wisdom were really simple. "If you can't make a living working 40 hours a week, your spending too much money. Sometimes you have to work a few hours extra to get a job done, but if you find yourself working those extra hours all the time, get help, or take on less work."

If you have had a 2nd heart attack and your only 32, someone is trying to tell you something and you better start listening. If you don't listen to what your being told, soon you won't have to worry about anything. Sounds to me like your priorities are all wrong. Gene

 

If I was closer I wouldn't mind helping ya out in your shop until other help arrives. But hell I'd prolly stress ya out even more, I can be somewhat cantankerous, but I get the job done. Be safe with your health

 

What all they said.
Family first. Do the right thing by them, dont sweat the rest, and it will come together.
I walked away from my business after 11 years in the last building, and im a whole new person. Life is real short, so get your priorities sorted, and start enjoying your time on earth.
The most happy ive ever been, was when im the most poor. Money IS NOT everything.

 

Easy for me to say slow down, but if you don't the next Thread might say, The garage killed our dad he was only 32!

 

Take at least 2 days and figure out what you hate most about your job/shop, and then get someone to take care of that for you. For example -shop manager or just a gofer. Set some hard rules on the hours 8am to 6pm. 1hr for lunch, and do not deviate. Sunday do not work. I realize that it may mean you lose even more money, but you won't be making any money when your dead either. It is better to go out of business than die, at least you will learn from your mistakes and be able to open up a stronger business next time.

Oh and you probably need to charge more too. Just some suggestions -I am not a business owner.

Kelvin

 

Ya I def. Need to charge more I am just upside down on a couple cars that are costing me more everyday there here. I've hired 4 guy in the last 12 months couple work hard till payday then disapered for a while! Dam drunks! One thought he was Jesse James(no offense mean jesse!) One only wanted part time and texted more than he worked! All of them made it worse on me! Ide give anything to go back to workin in someone elses shop 60hr a week! But I'm stuck in this podunk town(wifehas a good job) I need to be pick my customers better!

 

Lifes a party not a punch card. If you arent having fun then its not much of a life. And laid up in a hospital bed cant be fun...take care of yourself man

 

Sometimes the Best thing to do is fire your worst customers. If you can free up time to chase more profitable work, you might want to throw in the towel on some of them.

 

Remember, death is nature's way of telling you to slow down. I would think a couple of heart attacks due to stress at 32 is definitely a wake up call. Take care, you only get one kick at the can. Pat.

 

I was diagnosed with heart disease 5 years ago at the age of 29...ive been taking it real slow since. If somethings wrong its only going to get worse doing what youre doing.

 

You could try to recruit new help via the HAMB.

 

Saying no to the wrong guys and yes to the right guys will be the difference in making a living or scrambling to survive.

Hope you recover soon.

 

The reason your so busy is because your doing jobs to cheap , Up your prices a bunch

 

10 years ago this week ( July the 13th ) I was dead for 5 or 6 minutes. HEART ATTACK

EMS got to me in time ... started me back up and a week later I got by pass surgery ( 5 by-passes ). I was 53.

You need to SLOW down ...
Something is not right in your life and or business.

Since July the 13th 2001 ( a Friday the 13th ... BTW )
I just try not to let much bother me. After all ... do not sweat the small stuff and in the grand plan of stuff ... everything is SMALL STUFF.

 

Damn, be careful man. Wish I had more experience where I could actually help as a worker, I'd give you a hand.

 

Maybe this was your wake-up call to build a car for yourself and let the rest go for a while or maybe even forever. No point in killing your self for somebody else's ride, is there? Cut back the hours, finish the work on hand at your leisure, maybe 40 strict hours a week, no weekends, or Sunday-Monday off, what ever the family time dictates.
Doesn't sound like you've been charging enough hourly to get it together and going but this is your out...take advantage of it.

 

If your running on Energy drink's, quit! They are poison. Our bodies are mostly water, not sugar water. Finding help today is tuff. Most places I've been the last 15yrs, an average age was 35 and up to 70! The young ones have not been schooled properly, literally for decades. As a whole. Maybe a talented retiree is nearby, who shares your interest. Part time help, part mentor of life. Win-win.

 

Man I'm praying for you. I had a heart attack at 37( two years ago) and I've just been blessed with my first kid. I have re- aligned all of my priorities. I'm a pastor, a professional musician and a car fanatic with too many projects. I still love and enjoy those things but I have to keep them in proper perspective. Most peoples biggest regrets on their death beds are wishing they had more time for things that really matter and wishing that they had shown more love to their loved ones. It's never too late to turn things around and enjoy the important things in life.

 

Blue One said it all. The hotrod business is very desirable, however as you say , it is important to pick your customers well. I have seen shops full of guys out of dough and you are an unpaid storage facility. Maybe step back and go to work for someone else, keep your shop for some side money and things might improve, even if it was for a short time. We don't want to be saying some R.I.P's for a young talent. Good Luck man, we care! ~sololobo~

 

That new baby needs a daddy more than any of your customers need their rides.

Surviving two heart attacks is a message being sent to you- listen to it.

 

the problem with working as a force of one for yourself is, you NEVER give your brain a break. even at the end of the day, your in bed thinking of all the things you have to do, or pick-up, or who you have to collect from, or what needs to get paid.your brain is never your own. there're alot to be said about working for a company. at the end of the day... your done. you feel good. you let it all go, maybe work on your own stuff. i found out my limitations myself,and let me say its no fun finding out you're not invincble.stress IS a killer. please take care fellow car guy! kurt bohne

 

I can't say I know what your life or work priorities are, I do know that I used to get obsessed on finishing projects and it has taken it's toll on my life. Catch a breath, assess your priorities and ask for guidence from above. Have faith, and things will get better. Gary

 

Family is first and everything comes second in life. Your child needs you. Working 20 hrs is very unhealthy. Eat right! The more crap we put into our bodies the worse it makes us feel. I know it's hard because I like Sweets and fried food too but, I limit myself . Get some much needed rest and rethink what life is all about. I know it's hard but, remind your selfyou need to take care of # 1(you) so you can take care of wife and kid in the long run.