Working as a professional photographer is a dream for many people around the world. It’s a very popular profession in the US, with over 53,000 photographers across the country.
Real estate photography can be a very lucrative career move. But if you’re in the field, you may find that you’re often pressed for time. Perhaps you stretch yourself too thin or under-schedule your jobs.
When you manage your time poorly, it will impact your work as well as your personal life and mental health. Let’s figure out how to manage your time better! Read on to learn about the best ways to deal with time management as a real estate photographer.
1. Create a Strict Schedule
The most effective way to manage your time as a freelancer is to set yourself a strict schedule. Having a daily routine doesn’t only help you stay on track, but it has plenty of mental health benefits too.
You might find that a lack of a schedule eats into valuable family and personal time. This, in turn, will make it more likely that you’ll burn out eventually. A schedule can help you figure out this balance and give you more time to relax.
Make and stick to a strict schedule and ensure that your clients respect the work hours you set for yourself. When the work day is over, switch off and go back to it tomorrow.
2. It’s Okay to Say No
When you first start out as a real estate photographer, you’ll be excited to take on as many jobs as possible. You’ll want to say yes to everything and work hard to maintain strong client relationships.
Even when you’ve managed to establish yourself, you might find it difficult to break that habit. You might continue accepting every job that comes your way even if you don’t have the time for it.
Learn that it’s okay to say no. Whether an existing client wants you to do some more – or a new one has fresh work for you – you don’t have to accept everything that comes your way.
If you don’t want to let go of valuable clients, you can always outsource as your business grows. If there’s a part of your job that you don’t love – editing, accounting, etc. – don’t be afraid to outsource someone to help you out. This will help you to focus on the parts of the job you do enjoy instead.
3. Prioritize Your Jobs
When you work for different clients, you might find that you rush to try and get everything done for them all at the same time. Take a step back and breathe.
Focus on a few jobs you need to do each day and make sure they get the bulk of your attention. Whether it’s a day of shoots, editing, or client meetings, make sure to put around three at the top of your priority list.
When you know what you absolutely need to do each day, you give yourself more clarity and it will help you meet your deadlines on time much easier. It will also ensure that you can give your tasks more focus to get them done faster.
4. Set a Timer
When you’re working on a task, some people find it is a good idea to set a timer for how long you will spend on it. For example, if you’re backing up your files and editing shots, spend a set amount of time doing only that.
Trying to multitask will only make you less productive and lead to you becoming more stressed out. A timer will keep you in check and help ensure that you dedicate enough time to each task and that task only.
When you use a timer to work on separate tasks, it makes your workload seem a lot less overwhelming. Think about how long each task should take and use that time effectively.
5. Increase Your Rate
Do you find that you’re always on the go, shooting properties? Do you always have something to do? Can you never seem to get to the bottom of that to-do list? These things can leave you feeling burnt out and starting to resent your job. You know the work you enjoy doing and you know that you’re good enough at it, so why not scale it down?
If you’re trying to juggle too many plates at once, don’t be afraid to decrease your workload and increase your rate instead. When you prioritize the work that you enjoy and you know you’re good at, you’ll do a much better job.
When you carve out your own style and build your reputation as a premium photographer, you’ll carve out work that is more fulfilling and matches the rates you deserve.
Now You Know How to Manage Your Time as a Real Estate Photographer
Time management for any freelancer is never an easy task and it’s a constant learning curve. When it comes to working as a real estate photographer, you need to work hard to get the right work-life balance. These time management tips will also ensure that you get enough work done to thrive in your profession.
Following these tips will help you to boost your career as a real estate photographer and produce more high-quality work for your clients while ensuring you don’t burn out.
Looking for more advice as a real estate photographer? Check out this blog post to learn how to nail the perfect shot every time.
