How do you guys stay focused?

[djw383]

Prioritize, and you get a lot done if you do 1 hour per day on something. Organizing, cleaning, or buying parts, making a list of to do's for the next night or weekend....etc....I usually spent one hour after my wife and daughter went to bed and is way better than watching TV!

[djw383]

Prioritize, and you get a lot done if you do 1 hour per day on something. Organizing, cleaning, or buying parts, making a list of to do's for the next night or weekend....etc....I usually spent one hour after my wife and daughter went to bed and is way better than watching TV!


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[Racer57]

Your doing what all of us have done at one time or another and its the worse thing possible.  Looking at the total project. Concentrate on ONE thing at a time and throw a sheet over everything else so you don't get distracted.

[soundcontrol]

Great thread! I have the same problem a lot of times, cars or other projects. Right now I'm setting up a work space at home (film sound editing room), I walk in, look at the building mess for a few minutes, decide that I need to move some stuff out to continue, find a good excuse to do it another day, end end up in the couch with my laptop on this forum

My cars, took the vert completely apart, ordered all parts, thought about changing the trunk floor and quarters for about a year and a half, read everything about it....changed the trunk floor and one quarter in a few day, thats was 16 months ago....  will do the other side any year now!
Once I'll get going I am pretty fast.
Reading all tips here to get some inspiration!

[Mr Lee]

I think organization is key.  Otherwise its just a huge overwhelming pile of stuff. 

I highly recommend using Resto Ricks assembly order list.  It really helps to divide and conquer.  From there, you focus on one thing at a time, cross that item off and move to the next.  Its very satisfying to cross stuff off!  Each thing done is one step closer. That list will help streamline the whole process.  You can see what's next on the list and order what you need to ahead of time. 

Keep the shop clean.  Keep parts organized and give yourself lots of workbench space cause like someone said, you'll probably run into situations where you're missing a part and have to put what you're working on, on hold.  While you're waiting on that part, pick something else up and start working on that awhile. 


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[RacerX]

As others have said organization is important and try to list tasks that need to be done.
Try to do a little bit each day even if it is just an hour.

It may not seem like much but it makes a difference and keeps momentum going and
when you hit milestones that builds excitement and gives more motivation.

It may feel like you are chipping away at an iceberg with an ice pick, but even that
will eventually finish if you keep at it.

[PatO]

Treat this site like a library. There is so much here to help you along.

Learn when to take a break. For me, pushing through a problem always resulted in more problems, I learned to step back for a few days, rethink the task and then tackle it when you are NOT frustrated!   

[Marty73]

I've been working on mine for 14 years - I always take care of my family first, but on those occasions I can get out to work on it I go inside out. Also helps that my kids are now pretty much independent and don't need my supervision.

Mechanics and body first, paint was the icing after all the hard work. Motivation is knowing that I'm not a pro and every wave, dimple and hard start I earned. This car is all my work and it looks damn good.

And if you get frustrated, just walk away..that's when mistakes happen. This is supposed to be a fun right!!

[YellowThumper]

@GoodysGotaCuda worded it perfectly.
15-60 minutes at a time.
That is exactly my path. My body (and weather) dictates what can be accomplished.
Stop looking at the full picture. Focus on separated tasks. Each one of these tasks will have their own starting and stopping points for varying reasons.
I am in process now of a full nut and bolt assembly of an early Falcon. I keep what I affectionately call wall O Falcon. Each bin has project specific items.
All its side glass, crank mechanisms, wiring, dash items, etc...are sorted and contained.
Obviously large items excluded.
This sort ordering allows me to bounce around items but still  return back to it without having to to figure out where I left off.
I also keep an itemized list on my phone. Easy to add something because there is always the "oh I need this moment".
Poof it is now listed.
From there I sort up and down priorities I deem my mind states can be accomplished at any given time.

[70 Top Banana]

Agree with what has been said. Me? I put together a plan depending on condition of the car and what I am planning to do with it. If it is a good straight, mostly original car, I get it running. If it is running I make it run better. You need brakes, fuel and cooling. Those are the first I tackle as long as it is not going to be a total resto. and does not have any major engine trans issues. I have a large white board in my shop and I go out there with a beverage or two, turn on the tunes and do a good evaluation, again lol. I look it over. Then I go to the whiteboard and it may say something like this:
BRAKES-
order brake hoses, brake lines, master cylinder, brake pads, wheel cylinders
Complete brake overhaul by xx date
COOLING
Send radiator to Glen Ray, order hoses, clamps,heater hoses, thermostat etc.
Pull heater box, repair replace heater core, resto heater box while waiting for radiator.
Complete cooling rebuild by xx date
FUEL-

I never put more than two projects up at a time but I will list the next one (shown as fuel) in the example above. Once you have it running right, it will be a lot of fun to drive and you can pick off the other stuff you need to do.
My two cents