This topic comes up all the time in so many of my little photography communities.   So many of us are still working full-time jobs as we take on this photography industry and chase our dreams.    I have not mastered this, and have plenty of hard days, but I will say that I have reached a point where it is not overwhelming and I think I have found a “balance” in my workflow.

When I first started actually getting paid to take pictures I had this surge of “oh my god how do I make this full-time?.”   So many of us feel that.   However, I also love my job being an art teacher.  My school feels like home and I love my coworkers and students so much.    The thing that makes my situation pretty awesome is that because of my school’s hours I am still able to shoot all winter long.    Many photographers who work day jobs, don’t have this luxury because in the winter they get off after the sun is down.    So my ability to balance is probably not typical.    So while I still have dreams of only running my business one day, right now I’m very content doing both.  It is best for my family and best for my business right now.

Most importantly I can honestly say I’m the happiest and most fulfilled I have ever been.     There is no excuse to not do what you love, if its big or small!   If not having time is your excuse then make it a priority.   Life it too short NOT to do what you love.  I’m about as busy as they come, and I just flipped a switch and picked up that camera about a year and a half ago.    I just never looked back, I had no idea it would lead me here!

So here is my two cents on how I found my happy place doing both jobs 🙂

• I took a long look at my REALISTIC long-term goals.   Once I realized that doing both jobs is best AND what I want, I stopped obsessing over when I will make enough money to do just photography.   It is kinda crazy, when I kinda realized I’m improving enough make a living one day, it did not become so urgent. I can enjoy where I am right now, and let that be a dream for down the road.   I think sometimes we say “I can’t take the risk, or I can’t give up my day job”  Just using the word CAN’T sets yourself up for frustration.   I changed my whole view-point.

-I took the summer to practice doing just photography (if you are not a teacher, maybe take a vacation or leave of absence to try it out first).   I loved it, but I couldn’t say it made me want to quit teaching.   I still appreciated going back to school.

-That leads me to my next point, I had to rethink my workflow.   I have pretty strict business hours Monday – Friday of 3:30-8:30, meaning I’m not consumed about photography during the day at work.   I limit my sessions to two per week, and I schedule my editing time.   The rest of my time is for family.   There is nothing SO important that happens at 9am, that can’t wait till I get home in the afternoon.

-I had to LET GO of some things.   It is so easy to get caught up in business, dying for re-branding, dying to attend a workshop that does not fit with my schedule, dying to build my business every second.    I had to take a breath and accept that if business is good then my logo can wait, my website can wait, and the workshops will come on a day that does not conflict.   This is HARD, but why make myself miserable trying to make my brand look more “legit” when it is just not a priority right now.  Making lists of what is really MOST important at this moment really helps.    I found I’d rather spend my time shooting and improving my actual skills than stress about my branding.

-I have an amazing support system.   My husband is the definition of amazing.  He never complains that I’m super busy 24/7 and on top of that decided to become a small business owner.   He’s totally supportive and there’s no way I could do this without him.   I also have the support of my photog peers.  We constantly lean on each other and help each other through the tough days!   Having a solid community has been huge for me, and I know they are part of the reason I have grown this much!

-I stick to my deadlines and manage my time.   I can say for the whole year of 2013 it never took me more than a week to get pictures back to a client, and no more than two weeks to turn around a wedding.   Time management is everything.    I didn’t pull any crazy all-nighter’s, I just paced myself, my planner saves my life 🙂   I did skip some tv shows, or maybe some outings with friends, but hey when you love what you are doing it feels like fun and not like work.

-On the business side of things I sit down once a month and do all my book-keeping and gas mileage etc.   I keep all my info in my planner so it is not hard to sit down and plug it all in at one time.   Then I don’t think about it at all except for that one day.   That stuff can linger if you let it!!

-My last point will just be to keep having fun.   I try to avoid the negative train by staying away from “I can’t or I won’t.” I try not to compare myself to others, that just creates anxiety about where I “should” be.   I focus on my small goals like shooting, editing, keeping up with business, and correspondence.   When time free’s up I do all the “extras.”    Just like I’m blogging now because I don’t have anything to edit 🙂    I don’t force myself to blog when I don’t have the time.

Everything is so much more FUN when you do it because you wanna and not cause you have to.     🙂
Remember that all my love bugs that still have the full-time jobs!

Here’s me and my photo buddy Sami!  She also works full time and runs her business!  She was my awesome second shooter for the Hill Wedding that has been featured 5 times already with more to come.   I don’t know what I would do with out her as a friend and peer in this industry.    She’s in MD now so share her info if you have friends up there!     Sami Proctor Photography & Design.    I look forward to teaming up for more weddings in 2014!!!!

And Yes I realize this will all change when baby Henson arrives, but how can I teach my girl to do what she loves if I don’t model that every day??   It will work out because my family is amazing and she’s only going to make it better!    I’ll just have a whole new factor to my balancing act and she will be the best part <3