Since you’re an avid reader of this blog, you know that I just finished the last weekend of soccer with my kids. I coach my daughter’s U12 team and assist my son’s U8 team. During the middle of the season I was at a practice 4 nights a week, running my other daughter to dance 1 night a week, and juggling games on Saturdays.
We had a lot going on (it looks to only get worse as our youngest will be starting next Spring too).
On occasion I would catch myself hoping for rain. Though I knew that the team really needed to practice, that we were behind in getting to where we needed to be, I just wanted a night off.
I read an email from a successful soccer coach recently chiding those of us who were happy to see rain clouds forming overhead. His point was we most likely won’t look back at our lives treasuring the moments we had sitting in front of our televisions. The things that matter take work, and to be successful we can’t take unnecessary breaks.
He was also talking specifically about those who were “professional” coaches – those who were being paid to coach premier clubs. So for the part-time volunteer there might be a different standard.
What about your photography studio?
I know there are a lot of part-time photographers who look at this site. Those who are working a full-time job Monday through Friday and then shooting evening and weekends.
There are also a lot of full-time photographer, who have regular studio hours (whether that’s at home or in a commercial space). You shoot set hours and have evenings and weekends (or set days) off.
Either way, do you pray for rain? Are you working so hard, so much, that you are burned out? Are you hoping for rain, snow, tornadoes, hurricanes to cause your sessions to cancel? If so, it might be a sign to make some changes.
When it comes to my coaching, I know it’s only for a set amount of time, but you are working on your business day in and day out. If haven’t set boundaries to when you will and won’t work, you’ve set yourself up for failure. You will burn out, or worse, you’ll burn the ones around you that you love the most.
So next time you catch yourself praying for rain, ask yourself if you need to make some changes to your studio schedule.
image courtesy of stock.xchng.com
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