Learning when to say no to more work | Columbia, SC wedding photographer

 Today it's on my heart to talk about too much work. Last night I sat and really looked at the year's income and the amount of sessions and weddings I photographed. I had a WONDERFULLY successful year this year. I had the honor of photographing 12 weddings, 5 births, 6 second shooting gigs, and more than 50 sessions (engagement, family, maternity, head shots, and events) this year. Is that a record as a photographer? Absolutely not. Many photographers are sailing through with much more! But was it too much for me? Yes it was.Defining too much for ME isn't an inability to do the work. I'll always pride myself on service start to finish and solid relationships with clients. Too much was never failure in that realm, but rather how I feel during and after all of the work, and how the other important parts of my life are holding up. I managed all of my sessions and weddings in a timely manner, I didn't have a big "drop the ball" moment, but this year that came with a bit of a cost. Cameron is three and three is quite demanding! Matt is a full time student with a full time job that begins at 3 am. I was absent for a lot of Matt's transitional year from military to civilian life. I stayed up until 2-3 in the morning to the point where it became normal. I woke up groggy almost every day because work hours don't truly begin until Cameron goes to bed. I lived with guilt as a mother who didn't pay enough attention to her son, as a wife who didn't cook because she wasn't home or was busy, as a friend who didn't text back, as a daughter who didn't choose to find time to call or visit because too much was going on. THAT is how I measure an overload of work. 2015 was a blessing and an overload of work. 2015 was a lot of apologies to the other parts of my life.I am SO grateful for all of these days I get to tell a story through my photographs, the fact that people want ME to photograph them is such a blessing. It really is, and I don't want to ever take that for granted! I think it's easy to accept too much work because you're just thrilled to have the opportunity, and I've learned going into next year there does need to be a life balance so that I can love my work AND love knowing all other parts are balanced as well. It's a juggle and next year is about mastering the juggle.2016 has 16 weddings, and about 6 engagement sessions on the calendar (majority of next year's wedding's engagement sessions occurred this fall). I am happy to add about 10 more weddings to 2016, and at that point for me, that will be enough. A handful of family sessions for past clients and friends. Intentionally stacking days with consults and sessions so that I'm not putting one task on each day. Two days off EVERY week where I delete messenger, Facebook, and my email from my phone. Set hours at night that are productive and end at a reasonable time. Set hours in the evening that my phone goes in a basket (if you know me this is a huge issue for me!). I want this job to stay exciting, fresh, and what I LOVE. I truly believe what I do is the greatest blessing in the world. Seriously! I want to appreciate it to its fullest and be able to balance it in a healthy way. The changes I've implemented for 2016 are only going to make me more fulfilled, more refreshed, a better mother, wife, and photographer. I am SO EXCITED for all of these wonderful brides and grooms and the fun coming up next year! Also a permanent second shooter coming on as THE second shooter for this business. More on that coming later!If you are a photographer feeling overworked, something has to give. For your clients, your family, your business, for you. You can't say yes to everything and everyone. You can't run this business on guilt. I raised my wedding prices, booked almost enough to match this year's income, and anything that comes in my inbox after that point is optional. That's the beauty of this job, we make a choice. Sometimes we just need a reminder that the right answer can be no, and THAT'S OKAY! We need to learn to say it for the good of our life!