How Many Hours Do You Put In Per Week?

[BHPshooter]

For those of you who are doing this as a business, how many hours are you working a week?

I'm asking because I've been averaging 80 hours a week since the start of the year*, and it's beginning to take a toll. All that time bent over a workbench is starting to have negative effects on my neck and back.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to be busy, and I'm thrilled that people seem to like my work, but it's getting difficult to maintain this pace. I extended my wait time a bit recently (I didn't want to do it, but something's got to give), so I'm hoping that will help make things a little more manageable.

* I've only been tracking my exact hours for about 2 months, but my daily schedule hasn't changed since late December/early January.

[cleanview]

Mine is just staring and is treated as my "2nd job" with 3-4 hrs 6 days a week.

[Red Cent]

Ain't no way I am/will not/be putting 80 hours a week into this endeavor. You have a great problem. Work out the wazoo. I think it is simply what do you want out of the "business".

Anxious part of a business: hire help and hope traffic continues. 'Course you can always fire the help:)

[steelhawk]

I don't work that many hours, but I occasionally put in a long day.

Whereabouts in Utah are you?

[jwt]

It sounds like it's time to start charging more for your work. Either that or hire some help.

[chiefjason]

Mine is just staring and is treated as my "2nd job" with 3-4 hrs 6 days a week.

I'm here, plus some depending on the day. My "day off" has seen me put 8-10 hours in catching up if it gets really busy. Wife can do a few things to help, and has to regularly. Mostly shipping stuff. Shutting things down for the next week though.

Charging more is one of those funny ways to drive down demand a bit, but make more per product. I was forced to recently with my leather price going up. I have not noticed a slow down though, lol.

[cgleathercraft]

I agree with hiring some help. Even a couple hours a day doing simple tasks will take a lot off of your plate.

My day job and commute only allow for 1-2 hours at most a day to work. I've got a backlog of 10 different items to make and added a cell phone case and a custom coaster set to the list this weekend. Lead time is set to two months currently.

[BHPshooter]

Ain't no way I am/will not/be putting 80 hours a week into this endeavor. You have a great problem. Work out the wazoo. I think it is simply what do you want out of the "business".

Anxious part of a business: hire help and hope traffic continues. 'Course you can always fire the help:)

You're right, it is a great problem to have. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining about it, it's just an adjustment. I'll learn to adapt.

I'd prefer not to have to hire employees, if possible. I've noticed a lot of guys have their wives help them out with things... I guess I need to look into getting a wife.

[chiefjason]

Seeing as you are in Utah, you might could get a couple.

[jwt]

As long as we're making jokes...

Be careful when you're asking a prospective wife about her interest in leather. That could go in a really awkward direction.