This week on Ask Kim, one of our members asked a question we’ve seen asked about a billion times, in a million different ways! If you’ve ever wondered how on earth you could juggle your photography business with your family life and other commitments, this post is for you!
This week, Kelly asked a very common question:
“How do you find balance between business and family? I can’t figure out how to get into a routine, and I feel like I am always giving a little less than I should to everything I do because I don’t have time to give everything my all! How can I create a schedule that is fair to my business AND my life?!”
Sweet Kelly,
First of all, kudus to you for acknowledging that you are feeling a little overwhelmed. That is something a lot of people are afraid to admit!
When you run your own business, it can be even harder to separate your work from your life. If you don’t put in the time, you won’t be nearly as successful as if you live, eat and breathe work. However, do that, and not only are you bound to have some unhappy family members and friends (you never have time for me anymore!) but you’re also likely to feel exhausted, and that is a recipe for falling out of love with your work!
I am always striving to streamline my life, in every aspect.
I tend to put SO MUCH pressure on myself to hold everything together and make it look like I’m not even trying. I am mortified if a friend comes over and there is a dirty dish on my counter. I finally realized something had to change, when I began noticing my then 7 year old daughter would be furious with herself when things she learned at school didn’t come naturally. If she didn’t instantly understand something new, she’d put herself down (she gave herself time outs!). That behavior looked familiar, and I knew I had to change myself if I wanted to give her a shot at being something other than a borderline obsessive compulsive Martha Stewart wannabe always one hiccup away from an epic meltdown.
We all have busy lives. Our days all might look completely different, but at the end of the day, most of us are just plain stinkin’ tired!
I love this article from Tiny Buddha on creating balance!
Here are a few habits I have developed that have helped tremendously when it comes to balancing my business, family, household and social life:
- Implement business hours. I only expect myself to work between 7am and 6pm. At 6:00 sharp, I turn the ringer off of my business line and don’t check messages until the next morning (I don’t give my cell phone to clients until the night before their session, and I make it clear it is only to be used if something comes up before the session). Now, I don’t have to field business cards while at the park or out to dinner. Will you find me at my computer pulling an all nighter a few times a month? Probably, but that is my choice, and it is a choice I’m making a lot less often (I used to be up all night a few times a week)!
- Outsource. Today, we are babysitting. I peeked in my daughter’s room to find her lounging on her bed, and her three and five year old cousins cleaning her room. They explained that they were doing a challenge: each cousin was assigned to half of the room and whoever cleaned fastest got $5. Now, my daughter has a clean room and didn’t lift a finger to do so. She was glad to shell out $5 for that luxury. Are there any tasks that take up time that you can outsource? It doesn’t have to be expensive, find a neighbor kid to cut the grass or add a few easy tasks to your child’s chore list!
- Think before you commit. I am notorious for filling every second of spare time with fun activities. Check my planner and you’ll likely see every hour from 5am-11pm scheduled out. I watched an amazing webinar about balance by Leah Remillet, and my biggest takeaway was this: don’t automatically say yes when people ask you to do things. Sure, that dinner with a friend sounds great, but will you enjoy it when it is back to back with 30 other commitments? Don’t let your fun activities become burdens. Make it a habit to say “let me get back to you” before ever making a plan. Check your schedule and be realistic, if you have a lot going on, find another day and give yourself some breathing room! Better yet, schedule in some me time, where you literally schedule in not scheduling anything in!
- Be efficient. Don’t spend half the day roaming the internet aimlessly. Sure, Pinterest is wonderful, but don’t get sucked in! Set time limits for tasks so that you don’t end up spending three hours being sidetracked. Set certain times for answering emails, for posting to social media, for editing, for everything!
- Ask for help. This is a big one. If you need some help around the house, say so! We are all human. Don’t quietly suffer trying to do it all. Even Martha Stewart herself has an army of people helping to run her business, and I’m going to go out on a limb and guess she has a chef, housekeepers and stylists helping her appear to be the woman that does it all!
- Take care of yourself. You can’t be helpful to anyone if you don’t take care of yourself. It isn’t selfish, it is necessary! Take it from someone who landed herself in the hospital for dehydration and exhaustion after passing out at a family function (no, that is NOT code for rehab ala Lindsay Lohan), you need to put your health above all else. Get enough sleep, eat regular meals and take time to be active! Feed your brain once in a while with some extra classes or reading materials, and throw in a bubble-bath with a glass of wine (and maybe some earplugs) once in a while!
Pardon the iPhone pic; I absolutely love this shot of my daughter during our weekly spa time! It is so important to figure out ways to bring a little relaxation to your life!
By implementing small changes you can spend more time doing things you love, and less time muddling through the tasks that have you wanting to rip your hair out!
While in that bubble-bath, check out this awesome article by Sarah about taking control of your life!
What are some of your favorite ways to stay balanced? Shout them out here or share them on our Facebook wall!
