Real talk from a recovering workaholic.

Before I had a baby, I was in a season of life where I could be a workaholic. I could work all hours of the day, any day of the week. Chad and I were super flexible, and we had hardly any responsibilities asking for our attention outside of our careers. This worked great for a few years. And then our family grew in 2018, which was the biggest blessing from the Lord!

During most of my pregnancy, I kept plugging right along with that momentum. After I had Beckett, I took a couple of months off work to be with him and fully focus on being a mama. I slowly transitioned back into work.

I’ve found there is no such thing as a work/life balance as a workaholic.

As Beckett has become a toddler, I’ve realized that our family needs consistency, a schedule, and boundaries (of course it’s never going to be perfect. Grace, always.) Gone are the days where I will allow myself to be gone 5 out of the 7 evenings a week for a portrait session.

I have always said family comes first. And I believe that with my whole being. But am I truly living that out? A punch to the gut. I had a hard wake up call this fall. Yes, it’s the busiest season for my industry, and you absolutely take it when you can get it. But with that comes BOUNDARIES.

I’ve realized that I needed to set boundaries for myself and my work, and this has been a tough wake up call for me. I am a workaholic by nature and it’s just in my blood to always be creating, growing my business, etc. Honestly, I don’t know how to not work. I don’t know how to relax. I’m constantly “working” because I AM my business. I’m the photographer, owner, marketing manager, CEO, scheduler, client manager, etc. If I get an email at 6:00 at night my brain automatically wants to respond. If I do that, I’m taking that time away from reading my baby a goodnight story, when in reality it can wait until the morning. I’ve gotten better, but I’m still trying to work only during work hours.

I often think having a 9-5 office job would be SO much easier for me. I could leave my job at work, shut it off and come home and have set work/family time with clear boundaries, but that’s not what I want. I’m living out my dream, passion, and I pray that God allows me to continue to use my talents for His glory.

To serve my clients to my full potential, to be the best version of a mama + wife that I can be, and to make sure I am well taken care of, I’m making some changes for the new year.

No, it’s never going to be perfect or exactly as planned, but I am creating boundaries with room for white space on my calendar. As crazy as it sounds, I literally have to block off days and times in my planner to rest or I won’t do it. Certain days of the week will be office/admin days, Beckett + Mama days, session days, etc.

Since I photograph weddings on weekends, I will have very limited portrait session availabilities then. I started reading When Less Becomes More by one of my all-time favorite authors, Emily Ley. I’m only a couple chapters into it, but reading about entrepreneurship as a workaholic really hits home for me. While I may be shooting fewer days of the week, we will have MORE. More quality time as a family, we will have white space on the calendar for truly living.

Yes, I may lose out on some bookings if I’m not available every Saturday for a portrait session, but I’m okay with that.

I used to be the girl who said “yes” to every opportunity that came my way.

A dozen portraits in one week, okay, no problem! While those are good things, I become worn out and drained. My family gets the worst of me because I’m giving my best to everyone else around me and by the time I’m able to spend time with them, I’m tired and grumpy, ha!

A friend reminded me, if a client really wants a session with ME, they make it work with my session avail abilities. And if they don’t care who photographs them, then they will go with someone else. And that’s totally fine! With anything in life, if it’s important to us and it’s a priority for us, we make it happen! And the same goes for this.

So here’s to a happier, healthier, LESS is MORE 2020!

xoxo,

Amber

 

To see more of the adorable man and little man in my life who motivate me in my business, check out our low-key family vacation!

Business owners who can relate, check out some of my posts with tips for you!