Staying Sane with an Insane Schedule | Business Belle | Virginia Wedding Photography | Sarah Houston Photography
My life is crazy...and not just "mentally". My down time is usually December through April those 5 months of nothing-ness are pure bliss, because I know once wedding season kicks off in May it's go time until November. So many of you have asked-HOW do I do it?! Working full time Mon-Fri (& every other Sat) on top of weddings every weekend, sessions during the week sometimes AND taking care of my 5 year old?! It's not easy, in fact juggling all those different things can get a little overwhelming...
So where to begin? Well...luckily I have an awesome 5 year old who is easily entertained with My Little Pony toys and Cartoon Network, granted a T.V shouldn't raise my child but I try to knock out culling the SAME DAY as the wedding-so that means leaving the venue, going home and culling before I even think about going to sleep. Once I get those bad boys sifted through I take my 700 images and start the process-which is keeping them Natural and Clean with just some minor adjustments in LR...batch editing saves me LOTS of time.
Scheduling blog posts. I'll write blog posts on my iPhone App, I really love Squarespace for this feature. Having my blog at my fingertips for on the go is really valuable. So when I have an idea or have down time I open the app write a draft and schedule that baby to post all by itself. Ta-Da! I also schedule Facebook posts, but not as much as my blog posts...but scheduling these things really helps you out and keeps you in the social media loop.
Juggling a 9-5 (sometimes 6) through the week as well as working 9-12 before shooting a wedding on a Saturday is exhausting, BUT the benefits of my full time job- really helps me push through it. There are days I question myself-as any sane person would do...but the income pays most of the bills and I can't beat the insurance coverage. Also I literally have the best manager anyone could ever ask for....paid days off from work help too! So for now I just remind myself that it's a necessity and be thankful for what I have!
Set aside "editing days" I usually set aside 2-4 days (depending on the work load) for complete and full on editing marathons. I'll set myself up in my office with some take-out, play pandora and rock out those sessions...even if it means staying up all night because once I get those done, I know I can sleep to make up for it! Plus I just feel better and I don't get "backed up"....this works for me right now with 10-15 weddings on my plate, if you shoot more-try outsourcing!
Never lose the spark. It's hard, sometimes you get burned out...but then I'll edit a gallery and I'll see a picture of the groom crying as his bride-to-be comes down the aisle, or Mom + Dad embracing as their little girl-all grown up-is saying her vows to her new husband...it's those intimate moments that light the fire and renew my soul. Those moments give me a renewed energy and make me remember WHY, those are those sparks that ignite my passion, over + over again. Plus it's always an amazing feeling having the bride AND the groom use your photos on social media-I mean come on, instant gratification!
Have a circle of friends (+family) to cheer you on. Having that also helps, when I feel like I'm going to pass out from exhaustion having friends who are in the same boat say-hang on for a little bit longer! or having your family say that they are so proud of you-it REALLY makes a difference. Having them cheer from the sidelines helps me finish the race ;)
Don't over-do-it. Don't over-book yourself OR stress yourself to death on trying to do it all. Find your balance, because once you find a schedule-stick to it and rock it. It's so much easier when you have a plan! Working Full Time and running a business WHILE having a personal life IS POSSIBLE....you can have financial stability and afford to do more things for your business.
I hope this helps!
xoxo
Sarah
