[ 3 tips ] creating a business that enriches your life
hi there!
in addition to photography, one of my deep and abiding interests in is crafting a business that enriches my life. i want work that is creative, enjoyable but in a form & quantity that doesn’t steamroll over my family life. frankly, businesses that aren’t trained tend to do that! so, if you have a business in need of some behavior modification, i hope to be helpful!
dive deep
creating an ideal business means knowing who you are inside and out – what is incredibly important to you? and what is *most* important? those are going to be values/people/things that we emphasis, magnify & preserve. what is your personal definition of success? forget everyone else’s here…what do you care about?
r & r
did you know that a lot of the planet is enjoying weeks more ‘downtime’ than the average person in the us? yup, and i’m on a one woman crusade to put a little more r & r into your life!!
this doesn’t have to mean closing up shoppe for the summer but it can translate into rearranging your schedule so that you’re sprinkling in more long weekends, taking a vacation during your slower time of year (we vacationed in march this year rather than summer) or consistently working 4 days a week. i’m a huge advocate of travel, adventure and time off for pure play…it’s fun, memory building and doesn’t need to be expensive. (side note: we got back a few weeks ago from an amazing resort where i photographed a phenomenal family that connected with our message of photographing all the in between moments…my client encouraged my family to come and stay in my room so i had their company for the roadtrip and they got to spend the day in the zero entry pool with infinity edge overlooking the golf course. tip: mix business with pleasure as often as possible!!!)
next step: get an annual calendar (i like the big laminated ones from office supply stores that let you see the whole year at once) and get to work finding little spots throughout the year to treat yourself as the valued employee that you are to your business! crazy busy, frazzled, overworked, overwhelmed, frantic, stressed-out photographers soon start to wilt and it will show in your mood, your relationships, your health and your work.
making a list and checking it twice
what do you LOVE to do? and listen, you can’t list photography because I know that’s already represented in your weekly agenda in a hefty way. what else? reading a great book or favorite magazine, swimming, planning your first garden full of yummy stuff, nesting and making your home beautiful, chatting with a friend, learning something new, hot baths, baking, rockclimbing….jot down at least 10 simple things you really enjoy doing. bonus points for items unrelated to the computer/tv and are healthy!
next step: commit to sprinkling those throughout your week and month. this can be one of the easiest ways to make your life more of what you’d like it to be.
i promise that a beautiful life with a photography business is possible! this is just a tiny step in the right direction but do it and see the buoyant effect it can have!
warmly, -melanie-
Melanie is available for one on one business consulting on topics like: crafting a business that enriches your life, time management, organization, delighting clients with thoughtful details & infusing your business with kindness.
http://melaniemauer.com
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