Elopement Photo Business Rut

Our top 5 things to free you up when you’re stuck in a rut!

You know that feeling when you accomplish everything on your list? Exhilarating! The adrenaline! But then there’s the dark other side, when you haven’t been able to produce and deliver. You may find yourself in a negative spiral down. Bleh! Not where we want to be. We have outlined the 5 habits to fix your elopement photo business rut! No one needs to be dark and twisty over here!

1. REST!

Either said than done, we know. But if you don’t take time to rest, it’ll extend the cycle of your elopement photo business rut. There are many different ways to rest, but no matter what way you choose, the end result is always better for your mental health and your business.

Up next on the Honeybee Weddings book list is Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. This is a GREAT book about “the hidden role that rest plays in the lives of creative, prolific people. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and history, it shows that many accomplished people used rest in ways that helped them be more creative,  that we can understand why their practices worked, and adapt them to our own busy lives”. TLDR: lots of studies agree that rest can help you be more productive! As always, we believe in supporting your local bookstore for any book purchases. Shop small, dream big!

Rest can and should also be bigger than just a sometimes during the day thing. Planning personal trips and taking a few days to get in longer periods of rest and relaxation can help reset and rejuvenate. Where do you want to go for YOU? What adventures do you want to have outside of your elopement photo business? Book that flight baby, let’s get you out of that rut!

2. Invest in your passions

Finding joy outside of work and dedicating time to that is crucial. Work-life balance is a common topic for a reason. Having something outside of your elopement photography business to pursue helps you get a break and can improve the joy of your elopement photo business!

For us- our passion is adventure! That’s why you can find us all over the globe. Recently, we went to Iceland (learn more about what that looks like with our how to elope in Iceland guide). In addition to creating elopement photo magic for our couples, we also make sure we do something fun for ourselves during the trips. An adventure we had on this trip? GOATS! How fun is that?  It’s about the adventure for us. Period. Hard stop. 

Another way we adventure is finding hidden beauty. We like to find just places that you won’t find on a first pass Google searches. Places where you can escape the crowd and enjoy nature in its true glory. This can also be linked to tip 1, you can make your passion project also a time to rest. Siesta out on the beach? Yes please! Hug Point is not just good for Oregon Coast elopements, but also some personal enjoyment. What are your passions? How are you making time for them?

3. Exercise

We recently came across The Surprising Power of Going for a Walk, which discusses how “walking can inspire conversation, improve relationships, unlock creativity, foster mindfulness, reduce stress and increase productivity. Walking also improves physical health and overall mental wellbeing”. The blog lists practical methods of walking so definitely worth a full read! Key standouts are how walking by yourself is great, walking while making your calls is great, and walking with someone else in person is great. Getting out there and enjoying some sunshine (or even some rain!) can be a great new habit to fix your elopement photo business rut.

If you enjoy intensive working out, getting your favorite exercise on the calendar midday can help you reset. This may be a run, a boxing session, crossfit – whatever sparks joy for you. It can even be some paddle board yoga with your pup if you’re feeling extra adventurous!

As for us, you can find this duo out on a hike or in the woods. While we are often out in nature for business (peep our montana hiking adventure session) we also make time to hike just for us. We feel our best when we’re in the woods and don’t want it to be work every time! We will leave our cameras back at home and go for some real togetherness. The environment, the animals, the waterfalls, the peace. Taking some time away is one of our favorite habits to fix the elopement photo business rut.

4. Establish a daily schedule

Here’s the tip – you get up and you crush it!! By establishing a daily schedule, you build good habits and know what to expect and how to prioritize your needs. We reccomend setting a focus time of 2-4 hours in the morning (a pro tip from our hypothetical book club pick above). By focusing on the harder things in the morning, you alleviate the stress of the big things looming over you all day. When you’re up and focused you can do the important, business building work first thing and start your afternoon with confidence.

We also recommend breaking up the day. Using Habit #3, taking a midday walk or a full workout session is a prime reset. Get those endorphins going! Happy people don’t stay in elopement photo business ruts, they just don’t. While it may not break up the day, consistent water intake is muy importante for your daily schedule. Hydration regulates body temperature, keeps joints lubricated, prevents infections, delivers nutrients to cells, and keeps organs functioning properly. Or at least that’s what Harvard tells us. Having some water, get nutrients in your body, maybe a midday cocktail if that’s your thing. Taking a small step back can have big results.

5. Be flexible

You need time to step away sometimes. This is the time you use when you just need a rest. Take a nap. Yep we said it! Big believers in the midday snooze around here! Orrrr dance it out! Take time to reset your mind and body. Just remember, it’s counterintuitive to plan your flexibility time. Let it come to you. When a friend calls you? Answer. 100% of the time it makes your day better. Not only can the work wait, but often coming back to it with fresh eyes is helpful.

Being flexible can also be a time to do low-grade work such as answering emails or taking consultation calls. Since you already used your big brain this morning (you rockstar you!), the afternoon can be spent on more low energy tasks. Another thing we recommend just about all the time – snacks. Do you need a break? Chew it over with a twix. Next time you want to fix your elopement photo business rut, follow our six habits: Rest, invest in your passions, exercise, establish a daily routine, and be flexible.

Looking for personalized feedback on growing your business? Check out our mentorship program.