I’ve been a professional photographer for a number of years, and I recently found myself going through the motions.
People often experience this in their job, but when you work in a creative industry, especially as an entrepreneur you don’t think you’ll fall victim to this!
Today I will discuss what this looks like and how to guard against it, for yourself and your clients.
@katymurrayphotography on Instagram
What it might look like to go through the motions in a creative field.
Having a check list and straying from it.
Lists are great! I love them, but we have to be comfortable stepping off the path once in a while to challenge ourselves creatively. For me, this means showing up to a photo session with my mental check list, a shot list. Mom + dad, dad + kids, Mom + kids, just kids, just parents, all the sisters, all the brothers, all the girls, all the boys, each kid by themself, etc. While this is good – it can also distract from capturing images as they unfold. It can take away from the creative spirit of the session and actually block you from getting some really amazing images.
To Protect against it: Be sure to leave room (and time) for creativity. Remind yourself that you need to explore new areas, ideas and feelings. Add this to your list! It’s the perfect spot to remind yourself that you are a creative & need to express it.
Don’t Burn Out.
Yes, you can experience burn out even if you love your job! I’m coming out of a completely packed couple of months and I feel it. I don’t want to schedule anything, I don’t want to think, I just want to exist. Burn out can kill creativity, the exhaustion can take away from the energy you channel to try new things, to push the limits and to have fun. We have to be careful not to overwork ourselves, again, just because we love our job doesn’t mean it isn’t work!
to protect against it: Schedule time for fun! Go out and enjoy yourself. Literally write it on your calendar and protect that time. Give yourself grace when things get crazy and listen to your mind & body when you need rest and should slow down.
Set new goals.
Sticking with the same goals year after year, month after month, week after week will get you the same results. Sometimes it makes sense to maintain what works but again, it can also hold you back!
To protect against it: Set new goals. Revisit old goals. Challenge yourself to do something new. Mix things up. It doesn’t have to be big changes, small changes can make a large impact and help you stay away from getting stuck in a holding pattern.
Be Intentional.
If you’ve been around here before, you know I talk about being intentional frequently. When we lackluster we are blah! This can look different for everyone but having things that don’t hold meaning, spending time aimlessly scrolling on social media because you are too tired to do something else, and not focusing on whats in front of you can all be detrimental to creativity & enjoyment.
To protect against it: Be intentional! Own things that evoke emotion in you. Do things that bring you joy – things that make you want to put your phone down & enjoy the moment.
Don’t fret if you are going through the motions now, sometimes it can be hard to get out of a rut but trying one or two of these tips to start can lead you to a new dance & keep you at your best creatively.
katymurray@katymurrayphotograpghy.com
