How do you find the time and motivation?

Laredo7mm

Laredo7mm

Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
1,240
Hey all, just wondering if i am missing something here or not. I just find it terribly difficult to find the time and the motivation to go down into the shop and get some work done.

Once i get down there, and start working, I love it, and completely loose my sense of time. All of a sudden it is 2am and the alarm is going to be going off in a few hours. Makes for a rough day at work with only a couple hours sleep.:)

I really enjoy making knives, but most nites when i get home from work I would rather relax infront of the computer or tv than go into the shop and have a late nite. I guess I could limit my time in the shop each nite, but I would hate to interupt the "flow" I get into when working in the forge or on the grinder.

My job is pretty stressful, damn automotive business anyway!:D I am one of those lucky guys who has all the responsibility and no authority. No wonder I am loosing my hair. Besides that I have my daughter everyother weekend and usually one night during the week. Then I have to squeeze knife making between friends, family, girls, and the almighty SLEEP.

I feel pretty bad because Sunday will be 4 weeks since I have been in the shop. :(

Anybody have any words of wisdom?
 
Laredo, you old shop dog, you just need a break from job and everything. Take your daughter fishing or shooting! I go out into the shop sometimes after work and just sit and look at stuff, and relax. Not work, just space and relax. Stress creates a lot of fatigue, and you need to get away, guy. My day job is very stressful, shop and hobbies are a must!
 
Don't worry about it too much. I've got a screenplay I haven't touched in 6 months. Once I'm in it, I get all worked up, but I haven't found the motivation to get back to it lately. That, and I've been pretty busy.

I've got the reverse of your problem right now, I want to spend more time in the shop, but I work as an editor during the day, write freelance at night, and my ladyfriend gets upset sometimes when I spend too much time in the garage or shop.

I say you're fine -- do too much and you might burn out. Just take your time and do it at your leisure. Your knives are too nice to have you burn out on us.

Just my uninformed two cents. :D
 
Just go out an bang away with the 7mag an relax,
it works for me. Matter fact I`m headin to the
range myself tomorrow:D
 
I spend a lot of time in the shop but not every day. Some evenings I'm too wiped to drive over there (1 mile up the road) and I give it a pass. Other times I have more energy and I head out right after dinner. Lots of days I can sneak off the job at 2:30 or 3 and get a coupe of hours in before dinner. Then I usually don't go back over. Saturdays and Sundays I often will be there the entire day, only breaking for a drive into town for lunch.

Seems to me that pacing yourself is really important. If there are periods of time that go by when you just don't feel like making anything then don't worry about. Let the creative well fill back up and when you do go back to it you are much more refreshed and new stuff starts coming. It's all part of the creative cycles that we go through.
 
as others have said take a break! one of the things that i remenber even being full time. "this is my day job" is to give my self permission not to do it! i own it! it doesn't own me! i let my self say hey its time to walk the dog, go on a date, or do nothing. i find when i sincerly do have this additude! i get lots more done and am eager to do it! :)
 
That's about it for me too. I spend much time looking forward and planning but once in a position to get started I find it hard to take that first file stroke, etc.. Once I start, though, I'm Hell on wheels. There ain't nothin like NOT waiting till tomorrow.

Roger
 
7mm,

I don't want to start a "I have it rough" session ;). But ...

Computer Geek Job with a 40 minute commute.
7 Kids 3 thru 20.
Small Sheep farm.
A wife who loves attention.

On the other hand:

A job that pays well
7 little darlings that love me
Sheep to sit back and look at
And a wife that'll tell me to get my butt in the shop and finish an order.

OK, now that I think about it, I'm in pretty good shape.

But, I still have the exact same problem you describe, 7mm. In fact I'm supposed to be out there right now. Maybe I'll take John's advice and just sit out there and plan something.

Steve

God Bless us all, we need it.
 
My best advice, find a 2 or 3 inch ball bearing, if they are in short supply in your area, a rock will do. Disconect your TV take it out side near your trash barrel Stand Back and throw the rock or ball bearing into the picture tube. Clean up the mess and you will have one less distraction from creative thinking and good times with knives.
TV can make you think you are doing something usefull, for me it is a complete waste of time, mindless and non productive.

when I need a break it is usually due to physical fatigue. I step 5 steps from my shop and have a 50 yard pistol range right there. I budget 24 rounds a day from my new USAF Old Army .45 Long Colt. That is enough break time.

Books that challenge are also very usefull and productive for me. Find authors who are true dreamers and put their thoughts in knives you want to make.

Good Luck
 
I know what your going through, its not that your physically tired its just that work makes you want to bleed out the ears!
I'm takin classes at OSU right now and hate it for the most part, loking into other options.
Anyway, pretty much everyday when I get home I don't feel like doing anything. I've found the best thing for it is to just go right past the computer/tv etc. and head straight for the barn. Just gettin out there makes me feel better, then I'll saddle up a horse and ride for an hour, maybe wrastle with one of my colts that needs to be halter broke, and the next thing I know I'm headin for the shop or working on something around the barn that needs done.
Just make yourself go out there, and find something to take your mind off things. Next thing you know you'll be at it full throttle. And quit when you get tired, don't make an all nighter out of it unless you really want to.
 
For many the knife making thing is supposed to be entertainting and way to achieve relaxation. It's true that for many of us the getting into it thing will often have us going overboard. I don't believe this is the answer. It doesn't seem to make sense going into a stressful job bagged out. As a matter of fact crowding activities of any type be they knife making, golfing, T.V., whatever into a time frame you don't have room in just makes the pressure and stress worse. I suggest backing off for now. When the time does become available you will then know where to put it. I believe your health, family and job are far more important than making a few knives and will give you a greater return . As your life goes along,priorities change. The knife making thing may become the biggest thing in your life besides your family. That happens. I have that now. I have retired from the job that provided me with a good living and funds to live on afterwards.However, I am now a full time maker of folders. I enjoy this as much as someone who loves skiing or golfing and I don't even have to leave my yard. Sure this doesn't mean you should quit the knife making entirely. Just get comfortable with it even if it is only a few days a month. These of course are just my ideas of what has worked for me. I hope you find your peace of mind. Frank
 
Really good post and great replies! I try to tell myself that things will fall into place as long as I do what I can with any given day. Now this doesn't mean that I don't have a longer "things to do list" then I want or that I get in my shop as much as I want. It just means that I'm going to take it on faith that everything will work out as it's meant to.

It doesn't come easy for me some days, but it's what I try to remember to keep my life from turning sour.
 
Thanks to all for the great replies, it is nice to know how others deal with similar issues.

I think most of my anxiety comes from wanting to be further along than I am. I guess self induced stress is probably the worst kind. I don’t feel that I am at a level that I should be, and if I spent more time in the shop, I would be closer to where I think I should be. But, and this is the big BUT, I have to try to keep the balance between knives, day job, and family. Too much knives will only hurt my performance at work which will then, affect my family.

I think most of my anxiety is probably not warranted, just a by product of wanting this to happen too fast. But then again I am scared of what it would be like to be a full time smith. Kinda crazy, I know.

Heck, why do I do this to myself? I made my first pattern welded blade on 5/29/02, and my first knife was not completed until some time after that, maybe in July 2002. So now I have made 8 knives, with the last one being that cable fighter with jade handle.

I think I need to quit having my “delusions of grandeur” and concentrate on why I started doing this craft.

Like it was mentioned above, if it was meant to happen it will. There is no need to worry about my “progress”, or what “level” I am at if I am learning, and having fun. Right?

My 5 year old Daughter is taking a nap, and then she might be going to her Grandpa’s Race Track and then spend the night with Grandma. Hey, looks like I might have a prime opportunity to get into the shop! ;)

Hey thanks again everybody.
 
I literally never have the time. My wife and I and our 2 year old son live in an upstairs 2 bedroom apartment. I have to drive clear across town to a relative's house to use my equipment which is set up in their basement!

My wife and I have different days off too, so we hardly see each other. Right now I might manage 4 to 6 hours a week to work on knives.

When I get the time it's usually after a long day at work, after dinner, after my son has had a bath and after he's been put to sleep. After all that it's hard to find the energy and motivation to saw through steel with a hacksaw, or file away for hours on end.

I just try not to let it get me down and tell myself that someday I'll have a nice shop and be able to work on knives whenever it suits me.

Jared

My web page
 
I can relate to what you are saying. I have a 48 mile commute (one way) to and from work every day. I live on the west side of Houston and work east of town. I have the added pleasure of being able to drive back and forth on I-10 everyday right through the middle of town. This route IS the shortcut. I have been doing this for going on 14 years and I am "almost" used to it.

Motivation??? Working stiffs like us are creatures of habit. What I have done is to set aside certain evenings for nothing but knife work. This tends to work for me. I also force myself to only work to a specific time. We all tend to have the "this will only take 5 more minutes" syndrome when in reality it may take up to 2 hours to get it right. A long time ago I took some sage advice that Andy Rooney arbitrarily offered. He stated that there is nothing worth staying up late for...the next day. We all have done it at one time or another and the next day after staying up is nothing but a fog. I do agree with him on this point.

Weekends are great but you really can't plan on them consistently. The family is off then as well and demands attention. I must admit that the vast majority of my time working on blades is done on the weekends but by and large they just can't be counted on consistently. As far as the weekends are concerned I try to do yard work, house repairs, etc. during the week so the weekends are more free. One thing with weekends is to plan a couple of weeks in advance to do something "special", just like you do for other events. I know of many occasions where a few fellow bladesmiths and I will meet at one of our shops and do nothing but make damascus or to forge that big bowie and whatnot. That tends to work out very well. I like to plan ahead for most weekends as far as blade work is concerned, it tends to work out a little better. This way, everyone in the house knows what is planned and they don't tend to plan for other events.

I suppose with what I have typed above you may be able to tell that my job really has bled over into my leisure life as well! :)

C Wilkins
 
Larado -- I wouldn't worry about "delusions of granduer," that Jade piece was incredible.
 
Laredo7mm,

I used to collect coins. I loved to use my metal detector and find jewelry and coins. I used to go fishing... A LOT! I was so hooked on fly-tying. I have always worked in the shop, mostly smithing and ironwork (recently knives). I also rebuilt a lot of Jeeps. I love motorcycles too. I have had so many Harleys and BMWs it woudl scare you. I paint. I like to paint stills and some landscapes; nothign too serious. I used to turn wooden bowls on my lathe. Fact is, I was pretty darn good at it and my bowls sold well. I was putting myself through nightschool, and I eventually plugged away at it enough to get my BS. I did all this and held down a full time job.

Starting to see a pattern?

I had to trim down to one or two things I LOVED. One or two things I could do well, and get lost in - absolutely. I chose the world of metals and smithing. Now knives are a natural extention of that.

All things happen for a reason, bro. You'll get in that shop again when you are able.
 
I finally get the belt grinder and drill press. I get the charcoal kiln fired up and producing charcoal. I have several unfinished knives waiting for me to get away from the computer and go work on them.

I'm divorced and no girlfriend... maybe that's the problem :D

Perhaps a girlfriend that will crack a whip could help?

Hmm... bladeforums.com singles???

LOL
 
LOL at watakipoma.

I finally got off my lazy A$$ yesterday and spent 5 hours cutting up 125 pounds of 1095 and 15N20 coil into useable sized pieces. I finally cleaned up the shop some too.

So now I can walk into the shop tonight and start my next billet. I have decided to try and make Mondays my knife nites and try to get some done on available weekends also. At least this way I should be able to get 5 hours a week minimum in the shop.
 
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