The weather’s getting warmer here in Minnesota where I live, and we’re just beginning to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. It’s the perfect time to start working on time management, so you’ll have more time to do what you love.
Many creative people, including myself, struggle with imposter syndrome. The fear that our work isn’t good enough. That we’re not the “real deal”.
When combined with perfectionism, this can hold you back from sharing your wonderful work! Here are some thoughts that might feel familiar to you: “I'm not going to publish my blog post until I have my template perfected,” or “I'm not ready to start doing blog posts, because I have this to get the rest of my website done first.”
To that end, I’m going to introduce a time management skill that I’ve learned from a few of my own coaches. It can help you overcome some of the mental obstacles you may have set for yourself. The goal? Get more done in less time so you can do more of the things you love and get more of your work into the world.
There is room for you in the photo industry. Use this practical time management step to get your work into the world where people can see it!
Here’s the concept: tasks will take as long as you allow them to take.
Without a strict time limit or deadline, projects can drag on for weeks, months, or years. We'll allow ourselves distractions like phone breaks and snacks to avoid the task at hand. But as independent business owners, we have to take initiative to set deadlines for ourselves.
I’ve found that if I set a consistent, specific time on my schedule to complete a certain project, I will nearly always get it done in a shorter amount of time than I would have otherwise.
For example, I’ll do tarot readings between 10 and 11 every morning. With that strict deadline, I’ll finish the project in one hour. It's on the calendar, I do it, it's done!
This concept applies to bigger tasks as well. I’ve moved up the majority of my long term deadlines recently. If I give myself until July to finish a project, it will take me until July. But if I give myself until May, I’ll get it done by May.
It's good to leave room for experimentation, too. Set a short timeline for yourself. If it’s too short, give yourself a little more time the next go around. As always, I’d love to hear from you if you try out crunching your time in this way!
