Amazing Work From Home Secrets for Photographers

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With fall here and the busy Christmas photography season on us, there are a million things to do and no time to do it.  You’re balancing your homes, your business and there is still the job of parenting, which you refuse to fail at, right?   How do you get it all done and still balance your family?  We’ve got some ideas that may help you, no matter what age and stage your children are in. Here are amazing work from home secrets for photographers.

Babies – The best way to work and have time for your baby, is to get them on a schedule.   Once you can rely on a regular schedule with your baby, it is much easier to do your work. The secret lies in preparing your task list ahead of time so that right when the baby goes down for a nap, you are in your office accomplishing the list, not still building it.  You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish when your tasks are ready and waiting, rather than still needing to be organized.  Your focus will be dramatically improved.  Also, designate all naptimes to your photography business, the housework can be done with the baby awake.

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Toddlers and Preschool Kids – When you have toddlers and preschool aged children, there are times when you need to work beyond just their naps.  Try getting them special toys to play with only when Mommy works.  It may even be an office type toy, like a little desk, cash machine, or even a camera, anything that makes them feel just like Mommy or Daddy.  Another great idea is to put $1.00 into a work jar every time they play quietly while you are working.  Tape pictures of a toy they would like or a trip somewhere fun, and let your kids know that every time they are good while you are working, they get to put $1.00 bill into the jar towards that toy or special trip.

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School Aged Kids and Teens – It’s a little easier to have work time while the older kids are gone at school (unless you still have some littles at home), but why not involve them in what you are doing?  It becomes more of a family project that way, and can bring you together.  What about hiring your kids to do your packaging, or to clean your camera, or sort through and organize your props.  You can have them assemble marketing material, or even teach them a little editing, depending on the kid, right?  Jodi, owner of MCP Actions, has her 9 year old twins Jenna and Ellie help her with her Project 52 and even testing upcoming Lightroom Presets.  You can also have a goal jar for this age too.  They might be working for bigger and better toys and trips, but they also will understand that Mom needs to work, and there is something they can do to contribute.

So, before your schedule goes haywire and your waving your kids off to give you more time on the computer, prepare some of these systems to make the working from home an easier task.  Doing this will give you more focus to achieve your goals while still keeping your kids first.

 

Amy Fraughton and Amy Swaner are the founders of Photo Business Tools, an online site offering business resources for photographers through blog posts, podcasts and downloadable forms.

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  1. Stacy on December 21, 2011 at 9:30 am

    What simple and great ideas! Thank you for sharing!

  2. Kelli on December 21, 2011 at 9:35 am

    Great article! Love the ideas for working with toddlers in the house. I currently have 2 under the age of 3 with another on the way in April 2012 so I can take any advice I can get on time management for work with children around the house:)!!

  3. Akisha on December 21, 2011 at 12:23 pm

    It was soooo nice to be able to know how to plan for our day. Now that #2 will be here in a few weeks, I need to refresh my memory!!!

  4. Jen on December 21, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    This post made me really sad. Sure, we all need to get a couple things done with kids in the house at one time or another, but to have strategies for ignoring your child on a daily basis be a business model tugs at my heart. Babies and children need frequent interaction – is it how human beings were intended to learn and grow into nurturing, self-confident adults. These are our children, ladies – not inconveniences to be managed. Instead of paying your child to be quiet and play alone, how about you pay a child care provider – either in your home or in a school-type setting – to love, nurture and interact with your child if you are unable to do so because of work commitments? If you’re running a legitimate (professional) photography business, you’ll be able to cover these expenses as they will be built in to your business model. Professional photographers need dedicated work time just like professionals in any other field. Why shortchange the most important people in your life at the stage when your undivided attention will make such a great impact on their development? Before you start ripping me apart for “judging”, I’m not saying anyone is a bad parent. I know you love your kids, and I know you value time with your children – which is probably why you’re trying to make the whole “work from home” thing happen. But, work from home means WORK from home – and if you’re working, you’re not caring for your child. Doing both at the same time – as a business model – is shortchanging your kids and your clients. I’ve worked corporate jobs and now I work from home managing my own photography business. When I’m working, I have child care in my home for my four young kids. Are there times when I have to get something done during a day our nanny isn’t present? Of course. And then the strategies in this article would make sense – as a periodic way to accomplish a few tasks with kids home. But my impression from reading this is that it’s intended to be strategies for working when kids are present in an ongoing fashion. And – your kids deserve better.

  5. Tiffany on December 21, 2011 at 5:35 pm

    I find that working in the morning before the kids get up is my most productive time but if I need to get things done during the day, I take advantage of nap time. I definitely believe kiddos thrive on routine! Thanks for the great suggestions.

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