The importance of me time | Photographer Edition

As a professional photographer for the past decade I have learned the importance of me time. My latest blog will be speaking for those who are photographers, but don’t fret as this may come in handy for other entrepreneurs.

Story time:

I remember being married and thinking what went wrong with my partner? Why did he all of a sudden loose interest in our relationship? He had lost interest way before we got married, but love is love sometimes. It helped me realize a lot about myself after we separated, because when I was finally alone with my thoughts I could see my own behavior rather than just his. I used to be a workaholic! The type who wouldn’t go to bed early nor care about fresh home cooked meals anymore. I even gained a lot of weight and I stopped balancing my own inner life. That was a hard pill to swallow.

Fast forward:

Now I’m in a much healthier relationship with someone who understands my need for me time. The need to be alone and want to be alone are two separate thoughts though. I want me time so I can come see my friends. I need me time so I can balance my inner self again. Figuring out how to train your mind to take multiple breaks more often is one of my biggest tips for any professional photographer. Breaks allow you to slow down and catch your breathe. It also gives you space to think about what it is you truly desire. Here is hoping my top 10 reasons to find your me time gives you motivation to set new space for yourself as a photographer.

Here are my top 10 reasons to find your me time.

Letting go – let’s imagine your business is being ran by another person. Say your partner, your best friend, or a family member. Can you trust in letingt go for just an hour? Maybe try letting go for 24 hours? How about a whole vacation? Practicing letting go of control of your business even just for a little while is a really good habit to obtain early in your profession. Remind yourself constantly you are more than just your job. You are something greater than a professional photographer. You are way more amazing than you think. Try this exercise with me. Write down 5 things you are REALLY GOOD at besides photography.
Explore more – this has to be my favorite me time of all time. Exploring more can mean a lot to some people. I would like you to think about exploring more of your inner self. Ask this question to yourself, “how do I feel when I have a camera in my hand and when I don’t?” I’ll go first, “I feel in control of the situation when I have a camera in my hands and when I don’t I feel free to be whoever I want to be.” This healthy exercise will bring much to light on where you stand with and without being in your career. If you have another career simply replace the word <camera> with something you use in your profession and ask the same question.
New Hobbies – when you first picked up a camera I am more than sure it was for fun and not for work. That is where most photographers are truly born. Think about picking up another item which you would find fun to play with by yourself or even with friends. My latest new hobby is playing tennis on the island. I never knew how much of a workout it would be, but it turned into a group hobby with some friends. We practice every Tuesday and I dedicate those two hours as me time. I dare you to pick up something new this month.
Journalling – some people like me love to journal and some people really dislike it. Let me give you a few reasons as to why you should implement this as your daily or weekly ritual. Writing down your thoughts allows you to see them for what they are, just words. However, words are extremely powerful. So instead of keeping them inside bottled up and lingering all day or week, writing them down frees up space. As a photographer you need space to think, create, and honestly live. Journaling is about creating more space to be free from your thoughts, because who wants to live in their head all day long. Trust me I have been there and it’s a big time consumer from the present. Which is where you should really be at.
Musica & frequencies – let me tell you that this is a NEW one for me. Listening to music while editing, shooting or even uploading large files is a must for any photographer. Music creates an environment for you to feel relaxed or in focus. Creating a good playlist on Spotify for all your photographer moments is key. Photographers are emotional beings and having the right frequencies will allow you to go deeper into your sessions. Check out my favorite playlist on Spotify and see which songs gravitate to you while editing your next photo shoot.
Head to a new coffee shop – This one really heals my soul. As a professional photographer you tend to work alone a lot. The only colleagues you have are either on the internet or in your home. Since I am currently doing long distance at the moment I have found myself working out of coffee shops more. It gives me healthy breaks such as making conversations with the owners, sipping on my coffee while looking at people come in and out, and my new favorite is listening how others communicate. My current favorite coffee shop this summer has been The lighthouse Boutique in Port Isabel, Texas.
Read a blog or listen to a Podcast – some of my favorite Podcast’s to listen to is On Purpose by Jay Shetty. He is fantastic at digging deep into self awareness and has really beautiful guests on his show. I also just picked up a book about law of attraction at my local bookstore. In case you prefer to read from your phone you can read my latest blog on 10 ways to find more time in your business.
Stretch your body – when you feel your thoughts getting to you while you are alone I highly recommend stretching your body. Moving your muscles will help move your thoughts too. You can do this at home, in your office, at the park, or head to your local gym. Making time to move around is proven to make you feel better instantly.
Re-decorate your place – Did you know Feng Shui is a real thing? By simply moving things into a new spot you will feel automatic comfort. Sometimes fixing a broken piece you’ve been holding on to for a longtime will finally bring you the joy you’ve been waiting for. If you don’t see yourself fixing it then maybe it’s time to get rid of things. Add in plants, change old curtains, shop for a new light fixture. These are all great ways to enjoy your me time.
Turn off notifications – when I say turn OFF I really mean it. Personally this was a hard one to do at the beginning. I struggled with pleasing clients and friends for a very long time. I am not sure where it came from, but I finally figured out how to set boundaries as a photographer. By practicing pushing my “Do not Disturb” button on my iPhone daily. During a certain time of day when I’ve completed all of my tasks and meetings I literally can’t be disturbed. This gives me the ME TIME I have been needing even just for an hour or two. Try this the next time you are either working out, going to bed, or just because you need a break.