10 Tips for Avoiding Burnout as a Photographer
As a photographer and a creative it can be so easy to get lost in your work and completly forget to take care of yourself. Is this you too? If you're anything like me you don't do anything half way and you pour yourself into your work.
If you're new here, first of all, I am so happy you are here and you may not know but I photographed weddings full time for almost 10 years shooting about 35 weddings a year and I hit major burnout in 2018. So much so that I completely stopped shooting in 2019 and my camera sat on a shelf for almost 2 years before I had any desire to pick it up again. So I know a thing or two about burnout. I posted this video the other day and the amount of Photographers that reached out to me expressing they went through or were going through the same exact thing was wild. So if you are going through this or have been through it, you are not alone and I hope these tips help!
Ok, let's get into it!
1. Define your own version of “success” and only make decisions that aligned with that. It can be so easy to get caught up in everyones else's "version of success" but it is essential to define what success means to you and to only make decisions that align with that.
2. Diversify your income. I added 3 streams of passive income over the last few years that allowed me to solely focus on sessions and projects that truly excite me! If I can give you any advice as a seasoned photographer it is to only shoot things that excite and light you up otherwise you will be on the same road to burnout that I was on. Make sure to check out my Blog post, 5 Ways to Make Passive Income as a Photographer, for ideas on passive income streams that you too can add into your own photography business.
3. Prioritized self care + rest. Ok, this one is so underrated and so essential. You have to take care of YOU. Wether that's a spa day, taking 15 minutes out of your evening to yourself to do your skincare routine or getting to that yoga class you have to prioritize YOU. Set aside time each day to turn off your "work brain" to rest and unplug. If you never turn off work you'll be on the road straight to burnout just like I was.
4. Learn to say no + set boundaries. You have to learn to say no and set boundaries in your business. Don't take on more then you know you can handle and don't accept any projects that don't light you up!
5. Lose the “all or nothing” mentality. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It’s OK and absolutely necessary to take breaks.
6. Take on personal projects. It’s important to shoot things you love, not just the things you get paid for.
7. Ask yourself WHY you started your business in the first place? Remember why you fell in love with photography and take yourself back to that place.
8. Set realistic goals. Avoid taking on too much work and set achievable goals for yourself. This way, you can prevent feeling overwhelmed and avoid burnout.
9. Collaborate with other photographers. Collaborating with other photographers or creatives can help you feel inspired and alleviate some of the pressure of working alone. Even if you don't know anyone locally finding a Facebook group for photographers and connecting with them can really help you to not feel alone.
10. Have FUN! This is so important and if you find yourself not having fun at any point in time in your photography business take the as your sign to take a step back and reflect. The best way to avoid burnout is to face it head on and pivot in whatever way necessary.
If you are a Photographer in this season and experiencing burnout in your photography business, I want to assure you that you are not alone. In the 15+ years I have been an entrepreneur I have realized just how common it is to experience burnout. Try to remember WHY you started your business in the first place and take yourself back to that place. Ask yourself, what changed? It' is so important to take a step back and reevaluate your business and shift wherever you see fit.
I know its hard to balance it all and yes, I think balance is possible but you must have BOUNDARIES. Having boundaries and actually sticking to those boundaries will literally change everything for you. You've got this!