Episode 10: How We Find Work-Life Balance as a Photographers and Working Moms
EPISODE SUMMARY
Grab a cup of WHATEVER.. coffee.. wine.. and join us for this fun episode where we get personal about creating a work-life balance as entrepreneurs and working moms. When you work for yourself, it’s too easy to get sucked up into work and forget about the other areas of your life that are just as important, like family, self-care, and fun. So tune in to this episode to learn how we manage to fit all of it in!
EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
Being an entrepreneur and working for yourself can give you the freedom you’ve always dreamed of. Work when you want, wherever you want, right? We knew it would be a hustle when we chose the photographer life, but we didn’t anticipate how messy the boundaries between work and personal life can become if you don’t consciously manage them.
As entrepreneurs, it’s up to us to set a reasonable work schedule, and it’s up to us to cut ourselves off from work so we can spend time focusing on other areas of our lives, too. So, in this latest episode, we’re sharing what we do to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Our work-life balance tips
Free up your time by getting organized
- Schedule EVERYTHING. From important appointments and deadlines to self-care and family time – get it all on your calendar, so you never forget! Scheduling your week/days out can create more free time for you since you’re spending less time wondering what to get done next. And if you’re worried about feeling tied to a schedule, don’t worry! It’s normal for things to come up, so it’s ok if things don’t always go to plan. Scheduling your life is supposed to help give you an overview of your priorities and a blueprint for tackling them.
- Use a paper planner or calendar app to schedule the month, the week and your days.
- Jot down thoughts and ideas you want to remember in your phone’s notes app or a journal
- Batch your work and create a repeatable work schedule for each week. For example, photo editing on Mondays, delivering client galleries Tuesday, shooting on Wednesday, etc.
- Use project management tools like Trello to help organize your work and schedule
- Use a client management system like Dubsado to help streamline your client workflows and bookings.
- If you shoot weddings, you may want to look into Photo Mechanic to help cull photos faster
Move your body
We love to get our bodies moving each day in some form or another. When we have the time, we might do a longer, 1-hour workout but, when we’re super busy as we’ve been lately, we just make sure to get some form of movement each day, whether it’s 10-15 minutes of stretching and yoga or a long walk with the pup to get some steps in and clear the mind. Moving your body a bit each day is key for balancing out all the hours spent sitting editing or doing client work.
Incorporate mindfulness into your routine
Mindfulness can look different for everyone but, taking some time each day to be present with yourself and your surroundings can help you get grounded and refocus.
Practice mindful activities such as meditation or conscious breathing to help soothe your nervous system; check in with your breath a few times a day to bring you back to the present and into your body.
Or take some leisurely time to sip your morning coffee while you enjoy your family as they get ready to head out the door. Whatever makes you feel present and grounded, spend time doing it each day, and you’ll be better equipped to handle any stress that comes your way.
Spend time with your loved ones
We both have families and kids, so spending quality time with them each week is one of our top priorities. We each find pockets of time in our days and weekends to ensure we’re fully present and involved with our families. This could mean ending the workday when the kids get home from school or picking them up and dropping them off so you can have that special time in the car each day. It could mean cooking for them and eating as a family every night or having (forced) family fun days on Sundays.
And remember, our lives go through seasons. Sometimes you’re in a season of mostly work, and sometimes you’re in seasons of play. So whichever season you’re in, just do your best to create balance for yourself.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE CHECKLIST FOR GETTING STARTED WITH ORGANIZING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS WITH DUBSADO AND START SAVING MORE TIME!
SEGMENTED TIME STAMPS
(01:12) Vania’s organization and work-life balance strategies
(15:14) Work batching to streamline your schedule
(21:06) Use client management systems like Dubsado to automate your workflows
(28:46) Josie’s strategies for managing work-life balance
(47:38) Using Photo Mechanic to cull larger batches of photos faster
