Time management (or Who Knows Where the Time Goes?)

Who knows where the time goes? sang Sandy Denny - I am sure that she was referring to something deeper than the pressures on a photographer to move his business forward but it's a phrase that keeps going through my head...

Example. Decision is made that its a good idea to have an online backup of images at PhotoShelter. Sign up, load up images while doing other stuff - easy. Except once I get started I think - some keywording is useful to help find the images; enough to transfer them over to sell on the Photoshelter Collection. Doing this will save lots of time in the long run.

Result - I'm potentially sucked into doing something that is comforting in terms of keeping me busy but rubbish in terms of pushing the business forward.

The business I am talking about here is not a photography business (in the general sense), certainly not a stock photography business (it makes not enough money and makes it at some undefined time in the future), but an assignment photography business. That should be the focus.

All those old images no matter how potentially valuable (£'s or sentimental, if lost) should just be dumped onto Photoshelter for now (the important point being to have them there to recover if this house goes up in smoke).

So here I am on a Monday morning thinking time management, must do better, must not give into temptation to be busy.... On the recent sales course, the tutor showed us how he manages his time - he organises each day of his week in a standard way so that all the stuff that really needs to be done to run his business gets done. This is something that I had been thinking of getting in place for a while but having someone tell me to do it (particularly someone into sales) just may make it happen.

So here it is. It should really allow for three days of active client service activity but I'm playing catch up both in terms of developing the client base and catching up with important admin that always gets left behind so I'm allocating two and a half days.....

WEEK 1

Monday
AM - Planning for week; sales & marketing (that's me now!)
PM - Web design business (yes, I still have this to deal with even if i'm not looking to develop it)

Tuesday
AM - Shooting
PM - Shooting

Wednesday
AM - sales & marketing
PM - business admin

Thursday
AM - Shooting
PM - Shooting

Friday
AM - sales & marketing
PM - Flexible

WEEK 2

Monday
AM - Planning for week; sales & marketing
PM - Web design business

Tuesday
AM - Shooting
PM - Shooting

Wednesday
AM - sales & marketing
PM - Shooting

Thursday
AM - Awayday
PM - Awayday

Friday
AM - business admin
PM - Photoconnect / stock processing (a half day soft option!)

What's the awayday? It's getting out and pursuing my own interests - a mix of relaxation and stock photography or photography of something special for the portfolio. I can't do this every week but it's important to developing the whole so I'm setting up a two week cycle.

The half day's flexible slot on Friday allows for catch up if necessary.

Of course, things can be flexed to allow for client shoots but ideally I'll try to match them to the available slots. Such as this Thursday when I have a shoot.

Right now, in the background, I'm trying to sell a house - if I don't have a shoot (or really urgent web design work) then I'll use the time to do things to advance this cause in this time. Some might say that I should be doing S&M (that's what Sales & Marketing can feel like!) but it's time spent earning money in a different way.

OK. That's the plan. Print it off. Put it on the wall.

Can I stick to it? Where does all the other stuff fit in? Such as blogging - mine - my client's (I getting paid for that!). Reading emails? Checking on Alamy sales? Picking my nose? Today's FA Cup semi final draw? (Having outclassed Middlesborough, Cardiff are on the way to Wembley!).

I'm not sure. I'll find out and report back.