Today was a difficult day! Today, I had to let my babies go. My 6-year-old began 1st grade, my 3-year old preschool, and my last “baby,” my photography business…well, it is time to let go too (NO…I am not giving up my business, but I am making some very important changes).
At the beginning of the year, I made a New Year’s Resolution to take on only 2-4 sessions a week. While most weeks I have followed through, my resolution didn’t seem to help me slow down any. I continued to do, what many “newbie” photographers do all of the time, I fixated over my work more than ever. My husband has said that I am “obsessive compulsive,” well he isn’t right too often, BUT this time he was right on. In my mind my actions make sense. This business really is my “baby” and I have spent the last year and half nurturing and caring for it so that it could grow strong. I have exerted my energy and devoted countless hours to it, but just like my other babies I know it is ready to SOAR. It is time to let go of the hours I spend on Facebook admiring other photographers work, time to STOP worrying about how many emails I am receiving, how many sessions I am booking AND most of all it is time to say “No, sorry I am booked.” I have spent so much time worrying about my business that I have missed out on some precious time with my own children and my wonderful husband…time I can’t get back.
So I came up with a plan of action: Operation Balance
1) Office hours!: Yes, just like other working professionals I have set a schedule for myself. I am going to take advantage of the time when both my girls are in school. Now that my oldest is in 1st grade I will only get to see her after 3pm and I sure do not want to be working everyday during that time.
2) Email: I will turn off the email notification on my cell phone during non-office hours. I have never had someone email me something that was so urgent that it couldn’t wait. Clients know my cell phone number and if they need to reach me they can, but I don’t need to rush over to my phone every time it chimes. This takes away from valuable family time.
3) Setting an alarm: While my little ones are sleeping is when I get a lot of my work done, but NO MORE staying up until 1am. It makes for a very grouchy mommy the next day. Because it is so easy to get caught up in my work, I am going to set an alarm to announce that working hours are over.
4) LESS browsing Facebook: I love admiring other photographers work and while it is inspiring it is also distracting. It takes time away from getting my work finished and now that I have office hours I need to make sure I am efficient with my time.
5) Saying “I am sorry, but I am already booked.”: These words have been very difficult for me to say. I fear upsetting a potential client, but time with my family is irreplaceable. Hopefully clients will understand that I am a working mother/wife.
After dropping my girls off at school, I realized as much as I am going to miss them I know that they’re ready. I have nurtured, instilled confidence, provided lots of love (to hold in their hearts while we're apart), and taught them a balance between right and wrong. It is time to let them go…it is time for them to soar.
And just like my girls, my business, is ready to SOAR too: I have nurtured it, I am confident that I can provide my clients with portraits they will cherish forever, I love what I do BUT the BALANCE between family and work is missing and it is time for that to change.
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| Ready to SOAR... |
RSutherland Photography specializes in newborn, maternity, family, baby, and child photography in Seattle and surrounding areas including but not limited to Bellevue, Mercer Island, Issaquah, Redmond, Kirkland, Snoqualmie and Sammamish.
