Cultivating a Habit of Woodworking

[@Artzandcatz]

This was such an encouraging video! Thank you! I get discouraged because when I do get the time to spend the day , I’m lost as to what to do. I’ll try to do a bit everyday, if I’m clueless or overwhelmed, I’ll just sharpen or plane something. It’s helped my planing skills !

[@michaelgreen429]

I enjoyed the discussion. Much to think about.

[@wesleymorris9990]

Still working on building my habit. I may only go downstairs and stare at my bench for a few minutes and think. Ideas for improvement, next projects or tools I need or don't need. The results are that at least I visit my "shop" every night. Now if I would start actually making things. Lol

[@davidclark9086]

"Getting into the habit" is probably the best advice I have heard. I have the habit but most do not. Thanks for the post.

[@jeffandthings77]

It is amazing how much a little bit of time helps! Another thing that helps develop a habit is a "trigger" event. For me, as a teacher, I started leaving the house about 15 minutes early so I could do a little bit of woodwork before I left in the morning. Haven't figured it out for the summer, but it's great for the mornings of the school year, and starts me off on a good foot!

[@Ashevillein]

I used to feel rushed, but since making the time and looking it as a job where I had to be in the shop has worked for me.

[@peterellis4262]

Self-discipline is an easy concept and an incredibly difficult practice ;) I'm a homesteader, with more on my plate than I can ever get done in a day ;) But I have a rule that is simple and helps me keep at it even though it's overwhelming. "I move the ball every day". Some days I move the ball a long way, some days I barely roll it over. Some days I head out feeling like I'll be lucky to shift it at all, but then look back and see how much I got done once I got up and moving at all. Among the things I'm doing, and the highest priority, is building our house. It's also by far the most difficult and it can be very hard indeed to make progress there. One person building a roundwood timber frame with logs weighing many hundreds of pounds, and without heavy equipment. Just shifting a timber to cut joinery is its own project ;) Developing habits, having achievable goals within the major goals, holding on to the vision of what you are doing and why. All of these help to make self-discipline more achievable and less onerous.

[@johncoffey3032]

I've found that getting up is the hardest part. If I can get up and down to the garage for 5-10 minutes, good things start happening. Sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything, so I stop at 5 minutes. Other times I get started doing something and don't want to quit, so 5 minutes turns into 30 and significant progress gets made. But even on 5 minute days, the mere fact of getting a bit of progress done makes me feel better.

[@karlnewman2829]

Hi, I'm mostly retired, semi disabled. I'm watching videos today because I have a head cold. Shop apron. It's not a necessity, but when it's on I'm working, when it's off I'm not. For some other people it's a hat... Be well

[@Realism91]

I'm a renovator, I've accumulated everything except a domino, I got a Rob Cosman saw I live near him, I often work so hard building during the day I just want to watch TV from the couch. But I want to transition into furniture building so that has to change. The furniture prices of solid wood Canadel furniture are priced at $140/hr if I charged what they charge people often say it's not a profitable venture but I think they're just measuring things beyond 32nds. I love Rob Cosman's dovetail method it's so fast once you get it.

[@downeastprimitiveskills7688]

Bill C. Had a few tricks when it came to fire wood. One was to travel to a warmer climate in the winter and he didn’t need as much firewood. It was a pleasure to work with Bill on various project just to see his efficiencies in his work routine. Btw his yurt had very little insulation and his windows were loose single panes of glass which offered ventilation. Instead of insulting the whole structure insulate your body and put on a sweater and felt booties. Bill was and still is an inspiration

[@notesfromtheforest]

Heading south in the winter is definitely a firewood-saving strategy! My personal pattern is more like 15 mins/day and a few hours on multiple Saturdays to get the four cord we need per winter. The intentionality that Bill brought to every detail is valuable to consider.

[@jerrymoomaw7405]

Great video. I live in the wet/dry subtropics (Yucatan) . In dry season (Winter) I am in the shop six hours/day. Now, in rainy season, I don't get in there every day. But I could. And I will make it a point to do it. Thanks.

[@FawehinmiOluwatobi]

Hello, M and T!! God bless you ! My brother and I began putting to practice at least 5 minutes a day till our practice day when we work all day. And my! It has revolutionised the way we work! We have experienced great learning curves in those short moments! I appreciate your work, brothers.

[@jamesanthony5874]

Lack of affordable wood (combined with my current project requiring something like 150bft) has had my woodworking sitting on hold for the last month.

[@landesnorm]

Such good advice. When I was photographing professionally I realized that to be a professional I had to take at least one photograph a day so that i was prepared at least psychologically to work professionally.at a moment's notice. Nowadays, I start my day with 20 mins. of flattening or sharpening chisels or irons. Then I move on to planing or joining, but I don't devote all day, every day to these activities. Just like the painter who needs someone with a hammer to hit them over the head before they ruin their paintings, I've learn to recognize when I run out of patience and need to back off from the work. Of course, I just work for pleasure and enlightenment these days and not just for money.

[@Andrea-bw8xm]

Yup...that KZbin rabbit hole! I have amassed the tools, watched countless hours of techniques and still haven't created the "habit"! Damn it! I have totally learned over the years the benefit of "doing something everyday " ... I make other things that have taken years to fine tune the techniques...I need to apply that mind set to woodworking...I want to automatically cut a straight line ..automatically sharpen a chisel or plane blade...automatically "feel" the movement of the tool, etc! You guys hit the nail on the head..hehe...I'm looking to you for inspiration and methods for making the time everyday...making the habit. Perhaps I'll bring a cross cut saw and piece of wood with me to work...and when time allows...cut, cut, cut!!

[@fredpierce6097]

I’m deciding which woodworking “reminder tool” I could walk around with in my hands each day….. I’m between my carving axe and my sloyd knife….. any suggestions? 😮 😂 😅 great video!

[@MadMulberry]

I don't know how 5 minutes is enough. If I were to set up my stock and take out my tools and make 2 minutes of shavings and then put the tools away and clean up, I would have already exceeded 5 minutes. More realistic is 15 minutes. A few minutes to set up, a reasonable chunk of time to actually accomplish something. Whether it is flattening a board's face, or marking and cutting some tails or pins, perhaps even getting a good edge on your tools. Then a few minutes to clean up and reorganise the tools used. This way, you're not searching for your tools or getting into trouble with your spouse dragging dust and shavings into the house, and it also makes the space inviting and luring you back to a happy place.

[@danielburnett8140]

I think the idea is to invest the minimum to start out and build the habit. Low bar= easy achievement=momentum = confidence = constancy and as the constancy builds ideally so will the time investment and competency. Does that make sense?

[@claybowser698]

My wife is a teacher and pianist also and she told me something awesome. Instead of me saying, "I should be in my shop." Say to myself, "I can go to my shop." It sounds crazy but that way of thinking changes things. Also I've made a personal focus of whenever I need to do something small and simple like drilling a couple holes to mount, say a small mirror or something, I won't just grab my cordless drill. Instead I'll grab my little bit brace. Or if I need to cut a board, I won't grab my cordless circular saw. I grab my little 9 dollar Home Depot hand saw. Those little acts of defiance against ease and convenience have radically improved my skills with hand tools.

[@professor62]

Very good stuff, guys! I’m in southern CA and have to work outside right now b/c it’s so darn hot. The only time I can realistically work a little, b/c of the heat, is in the early morning. I get up around 6am and work until 8am. But I feel like I have to do relatively “quiet work,” so as not to disturb the neighbors. I’m retired, so I have the luxury of doing this every morning if I desire.

[@yoho1021]

I have not made anything spectacular or special - but even sitting down and cutting a mortis with a bench chisel - sharpening a chisel adds up

[@africanvikingmakers]

I think you’re right to focus on the small, achievable habit - James Clear’s Book on Atomic Habits talks about the importance of building in a trigger and a reward... I like a large latte in the morning, and it’s a good trigger to take into my shop and just work on something... keeps me in touch with my tools / projects... the reward is the satisfaction of getting something done / maintaining tools etc... I am also a big fan of Tom Fidgin’s early morning start (tbh I nicked it from him 🤣😜) Best wishes from the UK 🇬🇧

[@charlesbrousseau3988]

During the weekend I'll axe a few spoon or toy animal blanks and put them in the freezer. Then every day when stopping at the park on the way home from school, I can carve them as my kid gets playtime with friends, Win-Win!

[@noahfreeman8115]

I have to do a lot to stay unstressed, so I’m a bug fan of hobbies. So I make sure I get in the shop daily, although I don’t have a set time for it. I get into the shop, read, and visualize what I’ll do in the shop quite a bit.

[@SOLT_Mark]

Enjoying your video's. Thanks!

[@GeeDeeBird]

Paralysis by analysis. Gotta fight it every day!

[@frankhill9527]

I have made it a habit to do at least 30 to 40 minutes in the shop, on alternate days from my workout days. So I get about 3 days a week and if I get time on the weekend thats a bonus. But my kids are all grown and on their own so I don't have to many distractions at home.

[@KOutOfMyYard]

Skill is a accumulation of time doing

[@ikust007]

Yup you get stuck and just don’t know anymore what to do :))

[@gbd87]

The real trick is getting off the couch. Instead of sitting in the living room I will sit in the shop. After a while I'm doing something with a tool and not a remote. Creatures of habit will always be the big blockage in day to day living. A ex governor once said only 2% of people successfully live their dreams, passions or interests of life.

[@gbd87]

It takes 21 days to develop a habit whether good or bad. It takes an equal amount of time to end such a habit.

[@peterides9568]

My solution is sleep less... 1/10, don't recommend. I like your plan better.

[@ikust007]

My gentlemen !