It’s 9 a.m. and you sit down at your desk, editing a dozen or so photos taken for a client the day before. You are feeling good. You are ready to take on the day, the motivation of your first cup of coffee pumping through your veins.
You’re in a good flow for about 15 minutes, and then your phone rings. You answer.
You get off the call, and see you have a bunch of notifications on Instagram. You scroll through your feed.
After closing out of Instagram, emails start raining in. You respond to every single one.
A few hours go by, and you haven’t gotten any editing done. You’re frustrated and the caffeine buzz has worn off. You’re trying to figure out where in the day you will make time for the editing you did not do.
Sound familiar? Read through these 3 tips on how you can increase your productivity.
Make-A-List
Invest in a pack of note cards and a good pen. Leave them right on your nightstand. When you wake up in the morning, write down the three things you want to get accomplished on one of the note cards. Fold the note card in half and place it in your pocket next to your phone. Anytime you reach for your phone to answer a text or scroll through social media, your fingers will graze the note card and remind you of the day’s goals.
50 Minutes On, 10 Minutes Off
Practice the 50/10 Rule when working on something that takes deep levels of concentration. Set your phone face down, and close out of email — work for 50 minutes straight. After you have completed your 50 minutes of work, take 10 minutes to catch up on texts and emails. Repeat. It is unrealistic to think anyone can do this for the entire day, especially those who run their own business. With that said, make it a goal to do this routine 2-3 times on a daily basis. You will be impressed at how much more you get done in a shorter amount of time.
Limit Your Time on NonMoney Making Work
Time is money, so be careful where you are spending your time. It is important for you to pinpoint what tasks throughout the day are making you money. Double up on those tasks. As a photographer, you are making money when you are taking pictures and editing the pictures you have taken. So, spend most of your time taking pictures and editing.
Checking email feels as though you are getting something accomplished, but it eats up a lot of time that could be redirected somewhere else. Choose 3 slots throughout the day that you check email. Mid-Morning (9 a.m.), Early Afternoon (1 p.m.) and Evening (5 p.m.). Most productivity experts recommend only checking email once daily. This can be very difficult for someone running a business. Three times per day is a good goal.
It’s 9 a.m. and you sit down at your desk, editing a dozen or so photos taken for a client the day before. You have created a list of the three goals you want to accomplish for the day. You have set your phone face down for your first 50 minute work time and you have closed out of your email.
Before you know it, the editing is completed and you’re ready to hunt for a new client. You take a second to smile, it’s been a productive morning.
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