4 Tips to Having Balance As a Mom and Professional Photographer

This is a subject that I have straight struuuugled with for over 4 years now. But, who hasn’t? In the past, I used to be jealous of the photographers who got started in their business at a super young age or even when they got married and without kids because they didn’t have to balance being a mom and trying to run a professional business. But then I realized that was totally not the right attitude and a completely worthless way of thinking. I obviously can’t change things and it’s that way of thinking that keeps us stuck where we are. Now I think about my circumstances and my definition of success. I have had to change my definition of success about four times since I opened my business to accommodate for my responsibilities as a mother, but I am here to share some of the tips that have helped me along the way and make last year and this year one of my most successful years yet.

Here are 4 tips that have helped me be more balanced in my career and as a Stay at Home Mom:

1. ) Define success: This probably sounds like it has nothing to do with balance, but it really does. The thing is, everyone has a different definition of success. If your idea of success is to travel all over the world and to serve 30 clients a month and the effect of that is that you have a 60 hour work week and you get to see your family very little than you are probably reading the wrong post. You probably are a career mom in actuality and should maybe hire a nanny. And that’s okay! I have come to realize I am not a through and through Stay-At-Home-Mom. It’s better for my kids and for me if I worked a few full days and come back to them with full attention. But it has taken me a few years to figure that out. I still require balance because I work from home where my kids are present 90% of the time. But my definition of success has changed over the years. The balance between my business and my family defines success to me. If I can be a present momma and wife while giving my clients the same experience with 100% of my effort and then also bring home 60% of our household income needed plus extra money for investing and saving then I am successful. Eventually I would love to travel, for the business but while I am at home with two little ones and a newborn baby that isn’t success for me this year. Be realistic with your definition and honest to yourself with what you really want.

2.) Create a schedule: This was huge for me. When I decided how many hours I can realistically work during the week without sacrificing my time with my kids or being guilty that I was behind a computer, I wrote a schedule to make sure I gave myself those office hours. Every once and while we have to adjust the schedule to accommodate for different things. Starting August 1^st we have a new schedule that includes Steve’s new working hours and Addisyn’s  school drop off and pick up time. I decided to give myself 25 working hours during the week where I was working on blogging, editing, emailing, marketing, and admin. This didn’t include any wedding or shoot times. With those included during the busy season I will be likely putting in 40+ hours. That is the absolute fullest schedule that I want to have. If anything goes over that I need to start outsourcing (we will talk about that later). Remember, this schedule is about balance, so on that schedule you need to make sure you add in family time and even date time with your spouse. You also need to add in anything else that is important to you. For example I have three exercise times included each week. But most important to me is family time so I have written “Family time” every day from 5:00-8:00pm and then two date nights with my hubby. Date nights just mean I am off my computer and spending time with him. The other 5 nights I am either working on finishing up my hours or just having “me” time which could be more Steve time.  I also have two days worked into my schedule where I get the whole day to work. Wednesday and Thursday are my 8 hour work days. Luckily Steve can watch the kids, but if he weren’t home, I would hire a nanny like I did two years ago. There is something to be said about 16 hours of full concentrated work where your kids aren’t climbing all over you and where you are tucked away in full concentration. The other three weekdays I am with my kids pretty much all day and work when they are napping and in the evening. This works for me because my definition of success very much involves me being present with my kids on most days, but if I needed to provide more financially or serve more clients, I would have to seriously adjust this schedule. In some cases during the busy season, I ask Steve for one more full day or just more hours in general in the schedule to allow for me to work.

3.) Start your day earlier to have time for yourself: My kids generally wake up at 7:30. With me being pregnant I haven’t been good at this because I’m exhausted a lot, but normally I would wake up at 6:30 to have a bible study, coffee, and just time for me. Most of the time I take up the full hour, but sometimes I finish early and can knock out some emails. This is good for my Tuesday and Friday days where I won’t get much office time in until nap time. Even on the days I feel consumed with “to-dos” this allows me to have a better attitude with my kids as soon as their feet hit their floor instead of feeling so overwhelmed.

4.) Outsource: This is something that will be new for me this year. I am working with a friend/editor on outsourcing my editing. This gives me a TON of time back to do things I love doing the most – shooting, blogging, and communicating with clients. Of course for someone with a specific style like I have there is a learning curve so you have to patient with outsourcing. It is huge to give up control on something like your style, but after practice he/she will know how to edit just like you and you can have some time back. For other people you might want to outsource office/admin work or marketing efforts. Whatever you don’t like to do and whatever takes a lot of time up, please consider outsourcing. It gives you time back to do what you love – shoot and be with your family.

I hope these have helped and encouraged you that you can have a successful and balanced business and family life. Please let me know if you have any other tips in the comments below.

XO!

Stacy

And since every blog post needs a little cutie pic, here is a pic I snapped of my two littles on Tuesday at a Farmer’s Market.