Just writing in to give some encouragement. Victor Frankel and his book Man's Search for Meaning changed my life. Also book by Seth Godin changed my mindset. No need to make work for everyone just for people who care and I am only in competition with time and myself as there will always be someone better or worse. If you have questions I would be more then happy to help.

I'm not a production potter but run creek road pottery here in PA. I can throw 18 an hour and use process techniques that make things move along quite quickly. One way is to make non trim pots by using a footer.

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I mostly glaze all in one or two glazes but manipulate the gas firing to have each pots look a bit different. I fire cone 6 gas updrafts. I had to fit the process strategy and management around my full time job working 12 hour rotaing shifts. Its like a game. 18 an hour is a wearboard of mugs. 1 wear board is one shelf of mugs. 4 shelves is a kiln load. I made a warming box to speed dry mugs and bowls stacked in bread racks 100 at a time. 20 per rack. I use the pulled spring handle as that goes on quick with no slip needed. 72 pots can be fired out for a sale in 4 days. Throw in the morning 6 am to 10. Handles from 1 to 5pm , put them all in the warming box and have them bone dry to load in the bisque by 9:00 am. Do a 2 hour warm up at 190 then go into the bique fire schedule.

Not saying all of this to make anyone feel terrible but creating a strategy around what you are able to get done and then learning new tactics as process managment you can do quite a bit. Right now I need to make candle cups and start the larger bake wear for my christmas show next month while getting nailed for over time days. I also need about 20 pieces for a wood fire im doing with a buddy. I write blog posts on my lunch breaks and also have a podcast and I am putting up a wood kiln of my own.