Sometimes, little things can have a big impact on our everyday lives. However, we tend to take those opportunities to improve for granted. I am speaking from experience. In today’s newsletter, I share an example that I did not realize could be so impactful for my helper.
I have a new assistant who works with me a couple of days a week. His name is Kevin and he has the potential to become a great installer: very attentive to details, asks questions, and follows directions. Those are all great qualities for any window treatment installer.
He has been shadowing me for about a month now. I always ask him, after a job is done, what he has learned from the installation. This week he surprised me by saying “the hook”. He was referring to the Monster Hook that I clip to my belt to hold my drill. He said that he had never seen that before.
Bringing you up to speed…
I don’t like to wear tool belts or aprons to hold my tools. The tool belt, when loaded with tools, puts extra weight around my waist causing pain on my hips. The apron on the other hand, because it has a strap around my neck, causes neck pain.
What I found to work best for me was to wear slacks for my tools and the hook for my drill. The slacks are soft which allows for great movability on ladders. Additionally, the ones I use have very deep pockets which are great to hold the tools during installation.
The only thing left out was my drill which I solved by clipping a Monster Hook to my belt. Let’s be clear that I am not being paid to promote this product. It is just the best solution that I’ve found to suit my needs and I know it could be useful for you too.
I understand that not having every tool at your arm’s reach can be counterproductive. Especially when you are on top of the ladder or in an awkward position. I’ve been there, I get it. However, after a few years installing, I was waking up in the morning already feeling pain in my neck, my back and sometimes both!
So, speaking to a colleague at an install, she suggested that I stop carrying all the tools around my waist and try grabbing just what I needed for the moment. That was my “aha!” moment.
It was not easy at the beginning, as I had to go up and down on the ladder several times looking for the tool I did not have. Eventually, the “trips” have become less and less frequent (but they still happen). That exercise gives me the opportunity to mentally walk through the process I am about to perform and gather the tools I need as I go through my bag.
At the end of the day, my body thanks me. In the long run, this type of change is what allows us, as installers, to be able to maintain our performance at our best and for many more years to come.
What about you? What have you found that works best for your installs? Do you have any suggestions to share? Perhaps, your small “thing” can be a huge improvement to another fellow installer. I’d love to hear your comments here roger@tradingupconsulting.com