From Paper Planners to Tech Tools: A Dive into Productivity for Photographers

Balancing parenthood and a photography business can feel like a tightrope walk (except, in this case, when you fall there will be at least one kid standing over your broken body asking for a snack). As a parent and a photographer, you're pulled in multiple directions – managing sessions, editing photos, keeping clients happy (and coming through the door), all while being there for your family.

It's a balancing act that can feel overwhelming. But imagine transforming this chaos into harmony, where your business thrives without sacrificing family time. This newsletter, inspired by our latest podcast episode, offers practical strategies to turn this vision into reality.

Tips from the Podcast

1. Time Timer: Whitney finds the Time Timer invaluable for staying focused, especially for tasks like managing finances. It's about setting a timer for a concentrated work period, then taking a necessary break.

2. RetouchUp: Amanda shared her experience with RetouchUp for outsourcing photo editing. She appreciates its consistent quality and the rewards program, which allows for tipping retouchers or redeeming points.

3. Time Zoning: Erin introduced "Time Zoning" - categorizing tasks into green, yellow, and red zones based on energy levels. It's a method to allocate tasks efficiently throughout the day.

4. GoodNotes: Whitney uses GoodNotes for digital note-taking on her iPad and organizing everything from recipes to business plans (here’s her favorite template for it). She values its search function for finding notes easily.

5. Canva: Amanda talked about using Canva for creating social media content efficiently. It helps her stay consistent in branding and reduces the time spent on each post.

6. Dubsado: Erin uses Dubsado, a client management system, for automating scheduling, invoicing, and communication, ensuring each client receives consistent service.

Dig Deeper

Want to dive a little deeper into tools and practices for getting more done in less time? These are some of our favorite techniques for boosting our productivity.

1. Task Batching: Group similar tasks (like editing or emailing clients) and do them in batches. This reduces the mental load of switching between different types of tasks.

2. Pomodoro Technique: The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that involves breaking work tasks into 25-minute intervals, called pomodoros, with breaks scheduled in between each interval. (This goes perfectly with the Time Timer Whitney recommended.)

3. Don’t Break the Chain: Make one specific and simple goal for yourself and, every day you meet your goal, mark that day out on a 365-day calendar with a big red X. After a few days, you’ll get a nice chain going. Great… now don’t break the chain.

Incorporating these processes and techniques in your life and business will create a significant shift in how you manage your photography business and family life. It's about finding the right balance, where your business flourishes without compromising your role as a mother or father. With these tools and strategies, you're not just surviving the chaos – you're thriving in the midst of it, opening the door for a business that serves your family, your community (and your bank account) better than ever before.

Until next week!
Amanda, Erin & Whitney
TheEditWeekly.com

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