Starting a photography business can feel overwhelming, to say the least.
Chances are you started this business because you love photography, are good at it, and desire freedom.
If you can relate, you may have been blindsided a few months in, realizing there is so much more to do than you initially imagined.
Suddenly, you find yourself sitting behind the computer screen way more than you are behind your camera. Even though you are constantly working on something, it feels as though you’re not accomplishing anything.
Oh, and the post you made on IG, filled with value three days ago, finally got its 5th like.
You might be wondering,” Is it worth it?” or “Am I capable of being an entrepreneur?”
This is exactly how I felt the entire 12 years I ran my wedding photography business. To ensure I didn’t feel this way when I pivoted to branding photography, I knew something different needed to happen.
Through many trials and errors, one thing made a positive impact. It gave me back more time to spend with my family and friends, helped me complete projects big and small, allowed me to focus on my priorities, and curated my boundaries.
The best part is that you can implement this in your business TODAY if you’re ready to take charge so that your business creates the freedom you desire from the beginning.
Today, you’ll learn the benefits of time blocking, how to implement it into your workflow, and what to do when your time blocks just don’t work anymore.
Benefits of Time Blocking
The first and most obvious benefit of time blocking is helping you keep track of time. Time is money; if we don’t take charge of our time, it can take over our lives.
But seriously, time blocking will help you stay focused on the task. Allowing yourself 30 minutes, an hour, or whatever amount of time you need is like having a permission slip to say no to anything that doesn’t help you complete the task within that time frame.
Time blocks also allow you to set boundaries and expectations with your clients. This is a huge benefit to creating a client experience that leaves them raving about you.
How to Implement Time Blocking
No. 1 – How Much Time?
One of the most important metrics you can measure inside your business is the time it takes to get things done.
Make a list of all your tasks inside your business and record how long it takes you to do each. Once you have a general idea, you can dedicate the proper amount of time each day, week, or month to complete those tasks.
To get the most accurate time frame, set a timer for how long you think you will spend on each task. This could be a real eye-opener for where you are spending your time in your business.
No. 2 – Set Boundaries
Now that you know how long it takes to complete each task, you can create boundaries. These boundaries will help you build a work-life balance by providing adequate working hours.
Examples of boundaries you can set are separate photoshoot days from office days. Then, on your office days, you can dedicate time to fulfilling client work AND things that move the needle in your business.
No. 3 – Make It Visible
It’s all fine and dandy to create time blocks mentally or even write them down on paper. But for me, I need to see it every day to implement it.
Enter Trello. I have created a block theme for each time as a card. Then, inside each card, I listed each task I could do for that time block theme as a checklist.
The most beneficial part is after I’ve completed each task, I go into Trello and check it off. It feels pretty damn good to see all the checkmarks at the end of the day. It makes it easier to stop working because I can see my progress that day.
What to do when your time blocks don’t work anymore
It can be easy to get caught up in the mindset that the systems you use in your business don’t provide flexibility. Many photographers tell me that “time blocks don’t work because stuff just comes up .”Then, they feel like failures because they can’t keep up with their time block schedule.
But here’s the thing. The only thing consistent about life is how inconsistent it is. We go through seasons as life ebbs and flows around us.
Your time blocks can, too. They should change throughout the year. Here is your official permission slip to change your routine when it no longer serves you.
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to how you run your business. Adopting time blocking in my business made the most significant impact, preventing me from feeling burned out.
My favorite part is how adaptable it is depending on your season of life and goals. I’m always curious to know how different my wedding photography business growth would have been had I understood the value that time blocking can bring.
That’s why I want to share this process with you in case you’re feeling the same way I once did. You are capable of experiencing growth in your business. Keep making adjustments and find what works best for you.
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