The Year Ahead
It’s time to reflect on 2018 and what work and what didn’t. At EBA, we’ve grown and evolved at a rate that I couldn’t have imagined at the beginning of this year. We learned quickly earning what it’s like to work as a team. We are looking into the New Year and all of the change that we know it will bring.
What worked for you and what didn’t? How can you achieve the life you deserve while managing a successful business? There are so many ways to change your habits / routine / time management that will directly affect your quality of life.
Practical and Simple Ways you Can Work Towards Balance:
• Create a list before bed with the tasks you plan on completing the next day. Having a plan eases those thoughts of overwhelm that usually come right when you’re trying to get some much-deserved sleep. We either keep it on paper (what I prefer) or throw it into the Clear App.
• Set clear boundaries with your time. You’re (most likely) not a doctor and I can assure you that no one will die if you stop checking your email after 5pm. This also applies to sleep. If you’re only getting 4 hours of sleep because you’re just trying to keep up- something needs to change. I give you permission to throw your hands up and say “this is not working”.
• Time blocking. We find ourselves most productive when we break up our time throughout the day. I use the Hours App and love it. Setting a timer for an hour and saying “I will take my eyeballs off of this specific task”. Concentrating 100% at the task at hand and then taking short breaks in between. Before time blocking, I found myself working at 70% all day long and often the tasks I had weren’t being completed until midnight.
• Routine. Routine. Routine. It can be simple. Routine may be foreign to you. You may travel to different timezones often, but there are still great ways to develop simple routines. Making time to do yoga and read and cooking healthy meals is so important to us. Routine has been what we rest on when we start to feel a sense of overwhelm. Our routines have essentially become non-negotiable, because we know that being filled up will directly affect the quality of work that we do.
• If you can, hire an assistant. The most ideal setup for any business owner is when they hit the point that they’re only doing the tasks that only they can do. Having an assistant provides an incredible amount of peace, because you know that people are taken care of. From emails, to keeping your books, and completing the random tasks you dread. The going rate is about $15-25 (you get what you pay for).
Sometimes what holds us back is ourselves. Our so-called “comfortable” and familiar routines that is surely going to kill us one day. Operating a business out of fear and constantly feeling sick. Maybe it’s time to shake it up and stop working in your business, but rather- on it. As a photographer- year after year, I was trapped in a season of complete overwhelm around the Holidays. Prioritizing and asking for help when I needed it has been key towards leading a life of balance.
We would love to hear what you guys plan on achieving in the New Year! We want to hear those big dreams. Our goal is to help you achieve the dreams that you previously thought were unachievable.Here at EBA, we take great pride in the fact that we doing extensive research on our clients. Your personal editor will get to know every nuance of your style, so that you can confidently deliver your galleries without having to touch them. We want to take care of your biggest time suck- editing.
Here are some amazing things our clients have done this year! Two of our clients got into the Junebug top 50 images collection of the year. Well deserved, Adventure Instead and Assemblage. Corey Torpie photographed the campaign trail of the legendary Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (now congresswoman). Our friends Levi Tijerana and Maddie Mae launched presets. Endless publications in magazines (too many to mention). A few of our clients achieved the ultimate dream- becoming parent.
Let’s make some big ripples in 2019! It’s going to be a big year!
Happy Holidays,
Sidney