A Balancing Act: The Struggle of Working Towards a Work/Life Balance
Balancing Work and Life as a Photographer and Parent
Maintaining a work-life balance is a challenge every working parent faces, and as a Memphis photographer, small business owner, and mom with a day job, I'm no different. The struggle to juggle my photography business, day job, and family life—especially during busy seasons—can feel overwhelming. Some days, it seems like I'll never get through my to-do list, and as a perfectionist, that’s hard to accept.
I don’t believe anyone ever achieves a perfect balance between work, life, and family obligations. Instead, we’re all striving to find an equilibrium, where some days, work might demand 70% of our time, leaving less for family. As the busiest season approaches for me as a Memphis family photographer, I've been focusing on strategies to maintain balance, ensuring neither my work nor my family suffers. Here are some tips that have been helping me, and I hope they can help my fellow working moms too!
A Little About Me
What many of my photography clients don’t know is that I'm not just a Memphis photographer and mom—I’m also a securities-registered broker and Director of Operations for a small financial firm in Memphis, where I've worked for over a decade. As a new business owner, I’ve spent the past year feeling that if I turned away any photography clients or said no to any job, my business would stop growing, or worse, disappear. It’s been overwhelming, and I never want to burn out because photography fuels me. It allows me to be a better wife, mom, and friend. With fall approaching—the busiest time of year for both my photography business and my day job—I’ve been working on a plan to stay as balanced as possible, ensuring I can still show up for my family.
My Tips for Working Towards Balance
Stick to a Schedule and Learn to Say “No”
Whether it’s “No, I cannot stay late to help with that work project” or it’s “No, I cannot come to your dinner party,” saying no to the people or things that will affect something that is already on your agenda, is vital to keeping balance.
As a people pleaser, saying no is difficult for me, whether it be to a friend or for work, I want to show up for everyone all the time.. But with two jobs and a family that relies on me that I will always show up for, I’m learning (it’s a work in progress) that I have to say no sometimes and stick to what I have already planned out for the week/month.
Outsource and Embrace Your Village
You can’t do it all, and it’s time to stop trying. I’ve been notorious for wanting everything done exactly as I want it, but I’m learning to let my husband handle things like laundry, cooking, and lunches. We’ve also embraced services like Instacart and Uber Eats. If you need to hire a housekeeper or someone for yard work, do it! Outsourcing tasks that drain you will give you more time to enjoy what you love.
Stop Multitasking and Be Present
When you learn to outsource and stick to a schedule, you’ll feel less overwhelmed and more intentional about what you’re doing. When you’re with your family, be with your family. Be present in the moment, giving 100% of your attention to the task or person in front of you. It will leave both you and them feeling better about the interaction.
** Pro Tip: do you ever get distracted by the 100 emails you get from your child(ten)’s school(s) in the middle of working on something? Create an email address for all the children in your family and give access to anyone who helps with your kids (your spouse, your kids, nannies, grandparents). it’s been a game changer for me :)
Take Time for Yourself
Prioritize self-care, even on the busiest days. For me, running or working out every single day is essential. Being intentional about this time—whether it’s feeling the water hit your skin in the shower or focusing on how it relaxes your muscles—can be a game-changer for rejuvenating your mind and body. If, like me, exercise is your thing, Higher Memphis is a fantastic local gym with lots of options.
Prioritize Good Sleep
Set a bedtime and try to stick to it. Put your phone on "Do Not Disturb" and charge it in another room. Meditate before bed, or try reading a book instead of scrolling on a screen. Staying up late or waking up too early drains your energy for both work and family. Symmetry Live is a great resource for managing stress and overcoming anxiety.
I hope these tips help you work towards a balanced life. While we may never achieve a perfect 50/50 balance, keeping those scales from tipping too much is key to avoiding burnout.
A Note for Families Who Want to Work with Me
For those who have reached out with concerns about my limited availability for the remainder of 2024, please know that I genuinely wish I could capture every family. I would love to have unlimited time to work with each of you. However, what many don’t realize is that a one-hour session requires countless hours of work behind the scenes—the session itself is the least time consuming step in the process to delivering that beautiful gallery to you! To ensure every family gets the experience they deserve, I limit myself to 4-5 sessions per month. Once those slots are filled, I close my availability for that month.
When you receive a booking calendar from me (except for fine art portrait pop-ups), please note that while it might seem like there are several dates available, the calendar only reflects the days I’m open to taking photos, not my overall availability. Once 4-5 sessions are booked, the remaining days will also close.
If you're hoping to book a family or newborn session in Memphis with me, I strongly encourage you to do so early. I have a few fall mini-sessions left, space for a couple of newborn sessions this year, and 1-2 full family sessions in December.
Please remember, I’m a mom and wife first and a photographer with a day job second. If you see no openings on my calendar, kindly let me know you're interested in booking, and I’ll reach out if anything opens up. If nothing opens up and you need photos for 2024, I’m happy to refer you to one of the many talented photographers I know for this year.
You’ve got this, Momma!
