Hello! It’s Monday. I’m on my third (actually fourth) cup of coffee, and just sent my first newsletter. Come have coffee with me! If you’d like a copy just add your email here and I’ll send it your way.

Last week was my first full week of solo business ownership. It was a productive week, filled with shoots, events, meetings, and checking things off my to do list. I captured headshots for the Power Inn Alliance, attended The Blog Bloc monthly mixer, had my picture taken by Hailey, shot a team meeting with my crew at The Urban Hive, went for a hike, attended the Women in Power Brunch, and more!

Today’s post is mostly about accountability and how I keep myself on task. Being your own boss means keeping yourself focused, and as someone that is easily distracted, keeping a routine is really helpful in omitting distractions.

I’ve found my weekday rhythm. Getting up around 6:30am and out the door by 7:30am has yielded the most productivity. I get the most done and answer emails the most efficiently between 7-11am. There is magic in the mornings, especially at the Hive, when the coffee is fresh and the light slowly starts to pour into the building. I’ll take an afternoon break to eat and read for a few minutes, keep working before a late afternoon gym break, make dinner, hang out with my wife, and finish up any other tasks or photos that need to get done. My days feel complete when I get up with the sun, and stay productive until it sets. I take the last couple hours of the day to relax and enjoy quality time with Anna. Weekends vary depending on shoots and events, but I’ve been trying to take at least one day off a week, because balance is important!

Distractions are very real, but I have tricks to avoiding them and staying focused. I keep my planner at my desk and check it frequently to note ideas and make sure I’m following through on tasks. I’ll keep my phone in my backpack to avoid checking it too much. Last night I removed Instagram from my phone, and told myself I can get it back once I send my newsletter and get a blog post out.

The rest of today’s agenda includes planning and writing logistics for a family reunion shoot this summer, planning our anniversary trip to Portland, booking shoots, and more. I have a meeting to learn more about Facebook ads, and an accountability meeting with a friend.

Someone recently asked me what being a full time photographer was like, and I can say that it’s a little bit of everything. Photo shoots, photo editing, emails, blogging, meetings, accounting, networking, and so much more.

Thanks for being here. I hope your week is productive and distraction free!

Here’s a little glimpse of my desk today:

Blog

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