Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: A few episodes back, we had Kelsey from Honeybee weddings on, and now she's back. Kelsey is an elopement photographer and business coach, and since our values are so aligned, we have an endless amount of topics that we want to cover. Today, we're talking about how you can create a schedule that is designed to fit your life and personality, that also help you to get things done.
You're listening to sustainable photography, a podcast all about business tips, inspiration, and confidence building. I'm ingmal Colness, the host of this podcast, and after over a decade as a photographer, I now help talented photographers run sustainable businesses. And for full transparency, you should know that I'm a mentor with paid offers, and I will probably mention some of those in this episode.
Hi, Kelsey. Welcome back to the podcast.
[00:01:03] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh, girl. So happy to be back. Thank you for having me. I've been looking forward to chatting, and we finally scheduled it within a reasonable time.
[00:01:10] Speaker A: I know it wasn't like last time.
[00:01:11] Speaker B: Only my last time. I know nothing to do with you.
[00:01:15] Speaker A: Yeah, but there's always, you know, something that pops up and then you can't make it, and then you have to reschedule, and there's something. But this time, we just made it happen on the first try, which is excellent.
[00:01:27] Speaker B: I think so, too. I was just. Yeah. Anyway, so excited. Like, so excited to chat with you again, because it's always just so fun to chat with like minded little humans, and you were one of them. I think you know what? You're doing the podcast. Just beautiful.
[00:01:39] Speaker A: So. Oh, thank you.
[00:01:41] Speaker B: Thanks for having me.
[00:01:42] Speaker A: Yeah, anytime. Literally anytime. Because when we talked about after last time, like, oh, we have to do this again. And then we got to talking on Instagram, and I was going to let you know when I had time to record, and then you sent me a list of ideas of, like, oh, I could talk about any of these things. And I was like, I want to talk about all of these things. And I just had to choose one. So I went with power schedules. Power schedule? What is a power schedule?
[00:02:09] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, I guess, like, before I dive in, tell me, like, why you chose the power schedule. Like, when you're looking at it, was it just like, what is that? Was like. I've never heard of that. Like, what. What made you choose it?
[00:02:21] Speaker A: Well, multiple reasons. One of the things is I love planning. I love having a schedule and routines and all about being more productive so that we don't waste time. And just the phrasing power schedule made it seem like this is something that we need to know more about.
[00:02:39] Speaker B: So, yeah, yeah, I'm right there with you. And being, like, a creature of habit and just, you know, evolutionary wise, that is really just how the brains are wired, right. We have these neural pathways that are carved out in our brainstor that, like, really make it easy to set into a schedule. So what is it? So today I am, you know, I'm super excited because we're talking about how to get more done when we work less. And, you know, we all have these crazy lives and schedules that are so different. And that's the beauty of it, is that the power schedule that I define is a day that you can insert these three things into your day while optimizing the natural rhythms of your brain and maximizing the productivity. So we can really take advantage of the time that we do have. So the elements that I want to talk about today are active rest, creative, deep thinking time, and then these admin tasks. Everybody in their business has these little tasks that you just got to get done, but they're not the big ticket movers that are really going to move the needle to our business.
I created a power schedule for one of my coaching clients, and she said that within four days of implementing that schedule, she was already feeling the magic. Right. She was more productive. She got everything done that she wanted to, and she felt rested. And that, to me, that, to me, is the win.
[00:04:04] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:04:05] Speaker B: Let me ask you something. So I bet this is something that all of us has totally happened to you, and it'll kind of demonstrate the power of rest. Okay, so have you ever been on a walk or about to fall asleep or in the shower, and this brilliant idea just, like, kind of smacks you in the, and it seems to come out of nowhere. It's this, like, aha moment. This is what happens when our brain takes a rest. And, you know, to get a little science on you here, what this is is the default mode network. You know, I called DMNA. Acronyms are easier. So it's a network of these interacting brain regions that activates when the mind is at rest. So this is the part that just clicks on, and it's responsible for daydreaming, mind wandering, creativity, the ability to kind of imagine the future, and it's so powerful, especially for photographers and other creatives, is the magic. This is what we're getting paid for, and especially as a CEO to your business, these really big ticket things that you need to move the needle.
The magic of the power schedule, because it emphasizes active rest. And I'll go into what other examples? Like hiking, walking, cooking.
It stimulates the deep thinking parts of our brain when we're able to step out of the work part of the office and just, you know, use that for the quarter parts. And I craft a power schedule that exploits the shit out of your brain's natural.
So that's, you know, that's kind of what the power schedule is.
[00:05:54] Speaker A: Yeah, that sounds really interesting, and I can totally relate. I was just nodding the whole time when you were talking because it's like, I feel like anytime I go outside for a walk or I'm in the shower or driving the car, even more so than just being a passenger. And it's those situations where you can't just write down your ideas. It's always really annoying, but I can definitely relate to it.
[00:06:18] Speaker B: Right, right. I mean, I'll talk about it a little bit more, too, but it's just like, we need to be able to flex that muscle. And the more, you know, if we can do that every day, if we can just actively carve out that time every day, our brains will be more spurred to do that. And then when we set aside the time for that creative thinking time, when we're actually sitting, we're writing it down, we're moving the needle, it'll just come that much faster.
[00:06:45] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:06:46] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:06:46] Speaker A: Because I know that you are all about resting and stuff, and I can understand that. I can understand how you should rest to get more done, but it's so counterintuitive that it's almost impossible to believe that that is the way it works. So, for me, I know that I work way too much, and I can be told again and again how important it is to rest, but I'm still struggling with it because it just doesn't really make sense.
[00:07:16] Speaker B: Right, right. I mean, the question is, like, how can we get rest and, like, do more with working less? And I mean, the short answer to that is, like, we need the active rest time every day. When we give our brains the time to be in this quiet mode, the non working, restful time, we're actually priming ourselves for that creativity. So just like any muscle, this part of the brain, the DMN, the default mode network, it needs exercise. And the best way to do that is to flex it every day. So when we can set aside time for us. And I know it is counterintuitive because I think we're all kind of programmed in this society, specifically. I'm in America, specifically America, where it's like, you know, I felt the most valuable when I spent a million hours in the office, you know, when I was working my corporate job. You know, let's get real about how society just totally brainwashes us into thinking that working this 80 hours week or 60 hours a week or even 40 hours a week, you know, is the ultimate goal. I mean, all of us have seen the devil wears Prada, right? Like, it's basically glamorizing the stress and that being overworked is part of the job. Sanity and social life was nowhere in that equation, right? Like, life balance was just not a thing. And this is exactly how I thought life had to be, right. I felt so much pressure to perform, and it just had me in this chokehold of burnout, this cycle of just, like, you're feeling like you're putting in so many hours, but nothing good is happening. You're just kind of churning your wheels. And it wasn't until I started my own business and created my own schedule that I realized it wasn't my lack of performance. It was my rigorous work schedule that really was holding me back. So one day, and this is kind of, like, where it all happened for me. So, like, you know, one day, I was walking in the woods near my house. I could hear the birds. I could see the wind moving through the trees. I could, you know, hit a ground, crunching. I'd smell the pines, you know, this, like, beautiful thing. You know, I didn't have any agenda. I was just, like, out romping around, like, just walking to walk, you know, and all at once, this idea just hits me.
I chased the idea, and it was basically like, what if I change my business to attract different couples that are worried about, like, having the problem that every wedding couple has, that it's, like, super stressful to plan a wedding. It was that day that I was like, you know what I could do? Elopements.
It's the same messaging I use to this day that, like, years later, I now run this multiple six figure elopement photography biz. I mean, that is, like, really, once we do it every day, it's because our brains are resting in such a way that it primes us to make these bigger moves. So, like, you know, will you edit more photos when you spend, you know, 60 hours a week editing photos? Yes. Right? Like, the numbers that quantitative measure of productive is definitely going to be there the more time you put in. Okay. Like, that. Like, that's a factory. But when we think about what can really move the needle for our business and really, like, make it sustainable and grow it, it's these big ideas and the ability to focus in. And the CEO part, not the editor part. Right. The CEO part, that will really change our lives there. So I think we just, it's not, you know, like, work and rest don't have to be completely separate. They don't have to be two different things. And I think that's, I mean, it, you know, kind of like what you were saying, like, you feel the need to, like, be busy and, like, get the stuff done. And so much of that is societal. So, so much of that, I'd be like, you know, we can be more productive when we incorporate rest because our brains are magical little unicorns that are, like, working even when we're not. And work and rest aren't binary.
Rest isn't just the absence of work, but it's something that stands alone. And I think that's like, we just kind of need to be talking to ourselves through the societal expectations and, like, is it serving us? Yeah.
[00:11:31] Speaker A: Yeah. Because I'm feeling a few questions pop up. Because one thing is, you know, I can totally relate to that whole, like, feeling like I need to get more stuff done, but I also know how important all the other things are. So I do prioritize that and I make sure that I always get input from others and stuff. See how much a lot of photographers I know work with and have worked with struggle with the idea of prioritizing the things that isn't, like client work. You know, all the day to day stuff, because you're gonna get that done anyway. So you need to prioritize marketing and reaching out and networking and doing all these other things.
[00:12:11] Speaker B: Right.
[00:12:12] Speaker A: But I don't think any of us are good enough at resting and doing completely other things. So just to kind of clarify, when you say active rest, what is that?
[00:12:25] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, what active rest is not, right? It's not the, like, idle hours scrolling on social media until our eyeballs fall out or taking a quiz to see which twilight character I am. It's more about the beautiful empty hours that stretch out without clients, without colleagues, or if you're parents out there, children. A really good book that I recommend by Alex Sojeong, Kim Pang, is called Rest. It outlines a few really great activities, and I've just put some in here. So some of my favorite. The first one is walking. I've experienced this firsthand with how powerful walking is and brownie points. If you can walk outside in nature, it really allows your mind to wander and it can lead to super creative insights.
Charles Darwin and Virginia Woolf are also really well known. They took long walks as a part of their daily routine. And that's a scientist and an author. They're just very creative people. Napping is another one. Short naps, especially in the afternoon, they're game changers. They can restore alertness and improve your cognitive function.
So Winston Churchill would take 20 minutes at naps every afternoon. And this was in the peak of war when he was saving his country. I mean, if this cat can take time out of his day to take naps during the day, like, I think we can all manage, right?
[00:13:55] Speaker A: Like, yeah, yeah.
[00:13:56] Speaker B: And they're just so good for rejuvenation, the, like, shorter 20 minutes sort of ones. Longer naps are better for problem solving. So, you know, you just kind of, kind of craft that a little bit. But I mean, really for the power schedule part, the 20 minutes naps are much, you know, much more efficient, and they leave you feeling more awake versus, you know, can kind of, kind of sleep if you sleep for too long. Exercise. So physical exercise, this is the ultimate form of rest, in my opinion, and my personal favorite, running, swimming, biking, yoga, pickleball, basketball, you know, whatever gets your sexy ass moving is a great form of rest. So, you know, not only are you physically working out your stress, but, like, you're clearing your mind, you're improving your mood. Like, hello, endorphins.
That's like our best friend. It's like our running partner. Just like, coming along with us. There's these twins, Emily and Amelia Ngoski, who wrote about exercise is a crucial step in breaking the burnout cycle.
You know, stress ends up activating your fight or flight response. And if you don't find some way to actively deal with that stress, ahem, exercising your body, just stay in that stressed out state. So I don't know if you've ever had this happen, but sometimes, like, I've got a lot of stuff going on in the business, and I just, like, have so much going on, and I just can feel it, you know, like, you're just kind of, like, your body just kind of, like, shaking from the inside. It's like, like, let me out, you know? And that's the best way to really work that out. And my husband knows, get stressed that the best way for me is exercise.
Like, when I get high strung, he's like, oh, honey, go for a walk. I'll take the puppy.
You gotta go, honey, you gotta go.
You know, and burnout can really get in the way of our work. You know, that is one thing that will just lead to really big blocks in, you know, in creative work. So when you exercise, you're given your body a way to physically process and release that stress. And that's helpful for more things than one. Hobbies is another one. That's the fourth kind of active rest. So hobbies like gardening, playing a musical instrument, painting, cooking, it's not only restorative, it's just really good for the soul.
These activities allow your mind to focus on something enjoyable and creative while also giving your brain a break. You'll find these really busy, meaningful, powerful CEO's really sink into their hobbies. Marissa Mayer, the former CEO of Yahoo, she has this passion for cooking that isn't just a casual interest, but it's a hobby that she really dives deep into and is just, despite her crazy high profile career, she dives really deep into cooking. So that's super helpful. The fifth one, meditation. Mindfulness. No, the ultimate Zen practice is like meditation. Mindfulness really help to quiet the mind and reduce our stress. I would put, you know, yoga would be a good one in here, too. That's kind of like the sweet spot between exercise and meditation and mindfulness.
You know, we can use these activities as ways to recharge, get your clarity and seriously, just calm the fuck down. You know, just like bring that.
[00:17:16] Speaker A: Do you have to do all of them or can you, or is it like one is better than none?
[00:17:22] Speaker B: So this one is one where like, you know, you, I don't think, well, you could create time in the day to do all of these things. That sounds like a chore list. It doesn't sound super fun, right? It sounds overwhelming. I would pick one of these things. Yeah. And you can definitely, I mean, and you can change it out, right? Like sometimes after a tough, you know, pickleball game, for me, the day after, I just go for a short walk, you know, sometimes when I'm just really feeling like, I just like, I just need to kind of like work through some quiet things. I do meditation instead. I would definitely, like, choose your own adventure. It's like the Oregon trail. You just can kind of like choose your way. It's not going to lead to death, contrary to the organ trail, but you can just kind of like choose your own adventure there. Yeah, definitely don't feel the need to do all of them.
I would spontaneously combust if I had to.
[00:18:13] Speaker A: So we're keeping it simple.
[00:18:15] Speaker B: Yeah, so simple.
[00:18:16] Speaker A: So what if we don't, like, what if we're unable to do this? Or we've never heard of a power schedule and implementing active rest.
What can happen?
[00:18:29] Speaker B: I mean, I think we've all experienced the, like, burnout and stress and just that, like, pressure in your chest where you just feel this, like, kind of overwhelming sense of overwhelm and burnout. That's what happened to me. I remember very acutely, you know, like, when I. I didn't take rest seriously and I just kind of pushed through it. You know, I live in a rural state, and our thing is, like, get her done.
You push through, you get her done. You just do it. Like, whatever it takes, you put yourself aside and you just do it. It wasn't great, and it honestly led.
It's terrible. Like, it's terrible. I mean, it just led to, like, over drinking, if I'm honest. You know, it led to migraines. It led to just very unhealthy life choices. Yeah. I mean, if you don't take care of your body, it will get you.
[00:19:27] Speaker A: Even if things are going okay now, implementing some of these strategies, that's going to help you to keep going in the long run. So even though you feel like, okay, if I take time out of my work day, yes, maybe I'll get less done right here and now, but in the long run, it's going to give me more time, more energy, more productivity.
[00:19:49] Speaker B: Right. Yeah. Right. I mean, you might not edit as many photos today, right? But when you think about how much, not only, like, you know, I really do believe in work life balance and sustainability. Hence why you and me are like besties chatting.
This is all part of that. Yeah. If we don't kind of cultivate that every day, I mean, I don't know, at least for me, everybody is so different. But at least for me, I would not be a six figure business. I would still be at this kind of, like, you know, churning my wheels. It would just be taking the photos and editing them. Without this sort of time, I never could have brought on my associate team. I never could have grown my business to coaching. I never could have added on video. I never could have done my branding so that I stand out that really deep thinking stuff that it just wouldn't happen.
[00:20:41] Speaker A: Yeah. No, I can totally understand that and makes so much sense. And I think we just need that reminder that working more isn't the answer.
Yeah.
[00:20:53] Speaker B: Yeah. It's really not. I mean, I give you permission. Come to the dark side of, like, some Rex.
[00:21:00] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you.
So if I feel like, okay, I hear what you're saying, I need to do more of this. Even though I'm pretty good at, you know, walking and well that's pretty much it. Now that I look at the list, I'm not good at any of the other things.
[00:21:20] Speaker B: Well no, that's great. I mean like it's better than nothing, right? Like again, like I'm not going to sit here and be like, girl, you have to do everything or you fail. Like no, okay, so I do walk.
[00:21:29] Speaker A: Outside, but other than that I'm not good at doing any of these things. But what if I want to get better? What if I want to implement some of these things? How can a power schedule look like, and not just for me because I am sure that every single person listening needs this.
[00:21:46] Speaker B: Yeah right. I mean, and again, like I'm going to go back, every person is different. So when I craft power schedules for my sweet little coaching clients like they look wildly different. And you know I'll, I'll send you the downloadable of like templates that people can like fill in so like they can create their own which I think is super fun. And you do that but you know as creative entrepreneurs and CEO's paid for that genius, we're paid for the inspiration, we're paid for the creativity, it's an on demand product, it's not a leisure and it's definitely not a hobby.
[00:22:19] Speaker A: Right?
[00:22:19] Speaker B: So the rest of us, you know, we, we need the rest more than anybody else, right? And like to be clear, rest is not something the world just gives us. It's never been this like pretty little present wrapped in a boat, right? It's never something you do to finish everything else. If you want the rest, you gotta carve it out.
You have to like have a black belt and boundaries and set the time aside and just resist the urge to be busy, make time for the rest and take it seriously. In order to do that you need a system, you need a plan. And I got you. I have the girl with the plan.
[00:22:57] Speaker A: I like systems and I like plans. So this is good.
[00:23:00] Speaker B: Yeah girl. Yeah, we're like talking our love language right here. Systems, plants. It's not the sexiest love language, you know, but it gets stuff done.
So the key to start your is your day. Like we need to start your day early enough so you can cash in on the deep thinking and still have time for the active rest. So do you remember the three things we need for the power schedule? It was active rest, creative, deep thinking and then you know, all the other stuff, right? All of our other tasks, our mundane.
[00:23:27] Speaker A: Tasks, all that sort of stuff, all the to dos. Mm hmm. Yeah.
[00:23:31] Speaker B: All the to dos, right? So mornings, let's talk morning first. Mornings are the best time for your creative deep thinking time. So let's talk circadian rhythms for just a second. So, circadian rhythms are the sleep wake cycle that every human being has on repeat every 24 hours. Scientist Nathaniel Kleitman's study showed that for many people, their attention, memory, creativity peak in the morning. This is when the brain is most alert and refreshed after a good night's sleep. So sleep is so important here.
[00:24:05] Speaker A: I was just wondering, is it the same for everyone or is it most people?
[00:24:10] Speaker B: It's most people. I mean, I think some of our sweet little, like, late night owls will be like, I resist this.
[00:24:17] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:24:18] Speaker B: Right?
[00:24:18] Speaker A: Because I'm like, I don't feel like my brain really works in the morning. I'm all like, night person. That's when I get my good ideas.
[00:24:25] Speaker B: Right?
[00:24:25] Speaker A: Yeah. So just check.
[00:24:28] Speaker B: No, it's a great question. It's a great question. So for most people, morning really is the, like, witching hour for our night hour. People, your circadian rhythm really is just different. So for you, we would want to be crafting our power schedule. So our creative deep thinking will happen at night. The owls will be hooting, the bats will be out and about. All nocturnal animals, including you, will be fucking crushing it in their business. Right? Like, that's when you're. That's when you're going to be cooking.
[00:24:57] Speaker A: I like it.
[00:24:57] Speaker B: And that's fine. Yeah, that's fine. And, you know, whenever you feel your brain is most refreshed, that's what we're looking for here.
The deep thinking part of your day. Right? The problem solving, the creativity. I use this time for creating new systems in my business. So mapping workflows, building that associate team, editing photos, if that is like, a very creative part of the process, creating the email funnels for sales, adding on albums to my business, rethinking my branding, you know, et cetera, et cetera. This is the artist time, but it's also the CEO time, right? We are artists.
[00:25:35] Speaker A: Interesting that they're together. Okay. Yes.
[00:25:39] Speaker B: This is the creative time. We don't often think that, like, the CEO is the artistic, creative side, but I would argue it really is because this is like, the creative problem solving that we need to not just sustain, but build our business. So when I make my intentions for the quarter, my goals this time, this witching hour, whether it be morning for me, night for you, this is when we're getting that done. So, for instance, my quarterly goals this time, were launching a new website, launching another coaching course, a workflow audit, and launching an associate training guide. These are all the things I got to do to really. And again, this is the move the needle time. This is like, hey, we're building it. These are our quarterly goals. This is when that's happening. And for me it's in the morning, midday. So after three to 4 hours of deep thinking time, we're going to be tired, right? Like, you bet, like you've just gotten the most important work of the day done in that time. Now it's time for active rest. So taking this rest in the middle of the day is going to help your productivity and creativity. And it's important to recharge those cognitive resources we just drained by doing all this creative work. It will prevent the burnout and it helps to keep you performing at your peak. I think the other thing that, you know, society tells us that we're like doing it wrong is like when we get tired. So, you know, during every section of the day there will be a time, usually lunch or after lunch, right, we've had our lunch or, you know, our sugar levels are changing in our bodies and that's when we feel this kind of like crash. It's normal and it's something that we, we cannot power through. You know, every, every body at a certain time will be tired. That's okay. The power schedule is just meant to exploit those times and do things that are kind of low energy work. Right. So anyway, so the midday is when we do our rest. So that's, you know, the hiking, the biking, the cooking, the art, the music, the, you know, that sort of thing. This is the time to restore your attention. When we talk about attention restoration theory, this was research by Rachel. Rachel and Stephen Kaplan. Having those restful activities, activities, particularly those that are in nature, and low stress can really help restore those depleted deep thinking resources.
So that's kind of the time for that midday afternoon. So when we segue into our afternoon, this is usually again like, we've had some lunch. We are kind of tired. We've been up for a long time. Like, this is kind of our crash point. So scientist Roy Bauermeister's research on willpower self control found that these things have an expiration date throughout the day. It's not just like, you know, physically we are tired. It's also like psychologically as we go through our day, we're done, man. You know, that. That willpower is like, it's an expiration date. It's a finite resource. So we start high, and then we end low. And again, that is not a negative thing. That's not like, oh, I'm so terrible. I have no willpower. I'm lazy. No, no girlfriend. That is just psychologically how it is. And we can exploit that, right? Like, that's fine. So as we go throughout our day, our willpower is decreasing.
We need to do things in the afternoon that don't require much willpower. Right? We need easy, low energy tasks. So this is when I process email, I schedule consult calls. I work on social media. I make timelines for my couples. I do their location matchmaking, I make wedding albums. I blog. I mean, and as part of boss up my group coaching course, I encourage everyone to come up with a girl. Bye, ritual.
What it is for me is as business owners who work from home, it can be hella hard to walk away from your desk. You might be checking emails all the time, you might be processing leads all the time. And I'm like, no, no, we need a solid. Establishing the ritual to get you out of the office and to separate your work from your personal life is so important. So, you know, my girl, by ritual, it's like I write down my to dos for the next day. So I just, you know, transfer everything over, things I didn't get done or things that popped up or, you know, whatever. Next day, shut down the computer. I do my gratitude journal. I write a few things I'm so grateful for. That makes me, you know, really gain perspective after what I did during the day, feeling good, and I literally shut the door.
I think that is one of the most powerful things. That sounds so dumb. You're like, of course, you have to know, literally shut the door and probably.
[00:30:29] Speaker A: Shut down the computer as well. Like, mine's always on and it's probably not a good thing.
[00:30:33] Speaker B: Yeah, well, it's so easy for you to be like, oh, hey, I forgot something. And you like, go into the computer, you do your thing, and you're working again. Your brain is in work mode again. So, yeah, shut things down.
So that's what it can look like. That's what the power schedule can look like.
[00:30:52] Speaker A: A new round of the sustainable photography program is going to open up this winter.
However, the price will go up this round. So make sure that you apply now to get in at the current rate. Go to engelcolonaz.com sustainable to check out the program and to fill in your application.
Yeah. And when you say that you customize it differently to each person, is that in terms of which things go in what order? Or is it which items you kind of have to fill it with, depending on who you are and what kind of things you have to do.
[00:31:32] Speaker B: Yeah. So it has a lot to do with the circadian rhythm of your own little body. Like you just mentioned. You're like, morning. Thank you. Next. So we would be talking. So, yeah, I'd be talking to you like, hey, when do you feel the most refreshed? And you would tell me.
[00:31:47] Speaker A: Yeah, that would be late evening, after. It's just quiet and nothing's happening. Dark as well. Usually. Dark, quiet.
[00:31:56] Speaker B: Perfect. Okay. And then when do you usually go to sleep.
[00:32:02] Speaker A: Around? Well, it depends. Sometimes. Yeah. Twelve one to around there.
[00:32:08] Speaker B: And then you sleep until morning until.
[00:32:12] Speaker A: Yeah, until I wake up.
Like 910. Nine, usually, yeah.
[00:32:18] Speaker B: Okay. Okay. So what I would recommend for you, and especially, I mean, as we get a little more rigorous in our exercise, we're going to be more tired. So you know what I would do if we're starting at wake up, right? We're starting at the beginning of the day.
That's your lowest energy time, if I were to guess. Right, like, that's the time.
[00:32:40] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:32:41] Speaker B: Being my sweet little night owl, you're just like, no, thanks. Next. Right, so this is the time between, like, nine and, like, eleven that I would love to see you do your. Your console calls, your low energy work, that's low energy work. Time.
Things that, like, kind of need to get done. But it's just like, you know, we don't need a lot of willpower for that. Right. Like, we just need to get it done. Right. And then I would do your active rest after that.
So, you know, for you, I mean, it could really range from, like, from like, an eleven to, like, two to even a little later in the day. Like, things for you are just going to naturally shift later in the day.
[00:33:24] Speaker A: This makes so much sense compared to how I kind of naturally do things as well, because I do like to just get some of that stuff done that I, you know, have hanging over me, and then I do like to take a break because I just have a hard time concentrating. So. Yeah, this makes a lot of sense.
[00:33:43] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, yeah. Like, again, come to the dark side. Yeah. I mean, when you feel. When you feel yourself losing concentration instead. I mean, at least for me, like, before I figured out this power schedule stuff, like, I would feel.
Let's see, I would just, like, when I felt unmotivated, I was like, God, Kelsey, come on, kick yourself into gear. What's wrong with you? Right? I would power through it. And instead, you just don't have to. We can just exploit our natural cycles of our body. Yeah. Our natural rhythm. Yes. Again, everybody's doing it. It's not just you. You are not a failure. Everybody is getting tired. Everybody's willpower is decreasing, everybody's attention waning. So when you feel that attention waning, that's when we go into our active rest. Yeah. And then the other part is like, you know, do we have a sweet family? Do we have kids that we need to pick up at a certain time? Like, do we. Is there a way that we can integrate our active rest into our habit? Because, say, the kids need to go to the bus stop. Well, let's walkie walkie to the bus stop and then walkie walkie around the lake. Or, you know, like, whatever. Right.
[00:34:52] Speaker A: Yeah. Because that's when it starts getting complicated. Like, when you've got the schedule, you can just plan it out however it makes the most sense, then, you know, it's perfect. You can do it. But then you have, you know, the factor of real life that comes into play, and it's like, yeah, how do we add all this in?
[00:35:11] Speaker B: Yes, yes. I mean, that's. That's the, like, the structure part. That's the plan part is, like, I really try to take, because, you know, again, like, if we could live in a bubble where we could just do whatever the heck we wanted all the time, like, wouldn't it be great?
But we do have these external forces that are sometimes outside of our control. Sometimes it's a boundary thing. Sometimes we just need to set boundary. But sometimes, yeah, it's little. As kids, I have to go take my mom to lunch every Wednesday, whatever it is.
That's the structure piece. I go very detailed with my sweet people where it's like, what is it that you have to do during the day? What are your non negotiables? What are the things we don't like to do? Because I want to find, you know, we have to do them. We need to find time. And it's probably in that low energy work.
[00:36:02] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:36:03] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:36:04] Speaker A: And probably also, like, actually questioning if the things that you have to do are actually things that you have to do or if it's just what you think. And then it turns out, because especially when it comes to marketing, this is so common, like, oh, I have to do this. And it's like, but does it work? Has it ever worked?
[00:36:22] Speaker B: No.
[00:36:22] Speaker A: Then, yeah, you don't have to do it.
Don't spend your time on it.
[00:36:27] Speaker B: Right. Well, and that's. It's so funny you say that. That's part of boss up is the, like, goal getter thing. So it's like, what is the vision? Right? Like, where do we really want to be in, like, five years? And let's chart it backwards. Like, there's a vision and a system for mine, you know, I call it the summit Vision system. We're getting to the top of that summit. We have a vision, but we also have a system, and so we're able to chart what our goals are quarterly, yearly, five yearly, you know, and, like, it'll change, right? Like, we're not, like, iron, right? I mean, you know, we're not, like. But, like, being able to kind of work that backwards and be like, oh, yeah, this is going to move the needle. So then we can really. And, like, write it down. You do that in your creative time and just be really disciplined in, like, do I really need to be doing this social media thing that's taking me 2 hours a day? Like, is it bringing it, like, what's the ROI on my time?
[00:37:22] Speaker A: Yes. Yes. This is so important.
[00:37:25] Speaker B: Like, return on investment time.
[00:37:27] Speaker A: Yeah, no, I agree. And I do the same, actually, in my program, where we start by figuring out what's the. What's the long term plan, and then make sure that you don't do a lot of things that kind of deviate from that unless you've changed your mind. And I think if you don't do that, it's so easy to get off course, and then you've spent tons and tons of your time and your resources on something that isn't where you want to be at all.
[00:37:51] Speaker B: Right. For sure. Well, I mean, and that's like, I kind of think of running your own business and being your CEO, kind of like a restaurant. So, like, you think of, like, the owner of the restaurant, the manager of the restaurant, they are not the people who are assembling the pizza. They're not the one putting it on the plate. They're not the one bringing it to the couple. They're the ones who are, like, this big picture. How do we build this business? And I think it can be really hard for people to kind of, like, step into that role when it's just them or, you know, a small team of people. And that's a big mindset shift that. I think it's beautiful when it can happen, but I think that's, like, a big takeaway is like, you know, this is probably another podcast episode, right, of, like, how do you step into that CEO and like, what does it really look like?
[00:38:41] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. Because, and that is something that I like to talk about as well with my students is, okay, so you're one person and you are supposed to do all the things. That's fine if you don't want to outsource, if you just want to do everything yourself, but at least take some time to do the things that will make a difference that you have sat down. Look, look at your numbers, look at your strategies. And don't just do the client work. You have to be able to step away from that on a regular basis and not just when it starts getting quiet because then it's not too late, but kind of, but it will make you, yeah, it will kind of make you struggle.
[00:39:20] Speaker B: So. Yeah, yeah, totally. I mean, even when, again, like when you look at how you're spending your time, I'm a big advocate for tracking your time and I do it in, you know, chunks. Like here's how much time a week I spent on admin. Here's much time a week I spent on professional development, here's much time I spent on coaching. So, you know, at the end of the quarter I used to be like, oh, hey, I did spend too much time on admin. Like this isn't making me, you know, like this isn't making a difference. This isn't what I love to do. So like, let's automate this shit and get off my plate.
[00:39:53] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And that's another thing. Like all those things where you're stuck like, oh, I can't stop, I can't stop doing this. But it has to get done. You have to be able to invest some time upfront so that you can free it up for down the road. And it's the same for everything you're saying about this power schedule where, yes, you have to invest some time now where you'll get less later, but it does mean that you're going to be around for longer and your business is going to do so much better. So it's, it's a really important investment to make.
[00:40:28] Speaker B: Yeah, well, and you will feel more productive also. I mean, I think that's the other thing, right? It's like if you work that rest in, I mean, again, like as we chatted about it is, it does sound counterintuitive, right? It's like, how am I going to feel better when I'm getting like air quote less work done? Yes, I promise you you will in more ways than one because you're, you know, you're exploiting your natural cycles and you're getting that exercise and rest.
[00:40:55] Speaker A: It's really interesting because a lot of the things that you've been saying about things that you're mentioning about the rhythms, and especially since we talked about my schedule and stuff a couple of months ago, I got this tracking device, like a ring, an aura ring, and it tracks everything that I doesn't track everything, but it tracks a lot of things to do with my body.
I've been able to tell. It's kind of like I've made it a game. Like, oh, I'm getting good scores when I go out for a walk and when I get enough sleep and stuff. So my physical life has gradually gotten better day by day. And it's really interesting because it's also, after a while, after you've been wearing this ring for a while, it does tell you about your circadian rhythm. Like, oh, so that's the midpoint of my sleep. And it tells me, oh, you should be getting ready to go to bed. It's just really, really interesting because it's really the connection between your body and your mind and your business. So that whole thing of separating business and personal life, it's not a real thing because it does matter how you're feeling and how you're doing. And if you're ever at that point where you have employees, you have to make sure to treat them right because if not, it will also affect your business. So not that I'm saying that that should be the reason for doing so, but it's just so easy to think that you can separate business and personal life and have, like, this strict boundary or. But it doesn't work like that.
[00:42:29] Speaker B: Right? It does. I mean, it's so beautiful, that comparison you just put out there where you're just like, you know, as my, as I've been tracking and learning about my body, it's been feeling so much better. Like, how is it feeling mentally? How has that, have you noticed any shift in your business?
[00:42:47] Speaker A: I have because I have more, I'm not sure if I'm going to call it free time, but I have more space, mental space to think about things. It does make a big difference.
I've been really, really careful about not making any big shifts because then it's so easy to kind of just lose it. So I've just been doing it very incrementally and that's worked really well. So I think overall, it's going to make a huge difference. So, yeah, I just wanted to say that there are technical devices that can help you figure some of this stuff out as well.
[00:43:24] Speaker B: Yeah, no, I love that.
[00:43:27] Speaker A: Yeah, it tells me. Oh, now you've been really stressed. It's time to rest, and then you have to rest, and then you get a greenhouse. Score. And it's like, yes, you're doing really well. You've restored. Yeah, it's fun.
[00:43:38] Speaker B: Oh, okay, girl.
[00:43:40] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:43:41] Speaker B: No, so nice. Well, I mean. And again, like, I think so much of our schedule and what we, like when we think we have to be active and creative versus, like, societal expectations of that. Right. I mean, the eight to five work day.
[00:43:55] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:43:56] Speaker B: I mean, like, that just does not work for everybody.
[00:44:02] Speaker A: Like, I mean, no, it doesn't.
[00:44:04] Speaker B: And just being able to, like, have your ring to tell you that, like, you're not a crazy person. Like, you are not, like.
Like, bucking the system. Like, this is when you are the most creative. This is when you are the most on point. Like, this is it. Like, isn't that so affirming?
[00:44:22] Speaker A: It is, but it also kind of is a good reminder as to kind of everything that I have at, like, I don't know, the core of what I do, which is, you know, create a business that works for you and just be really careful and not looking at what everyone else is doing and thinking that they have the right way of doing it because, yeah, hopefully they have the right way of doing it for them.
[00:44:46] Speaker B: For them.
[00:44:46] Speaker A: There is nothing to say that that should work the same way for you. I don't think there's many people who could do what I do the way I do things, because I work crazy hours and I don't think I could function or I know I couldn't function if I had to get up at, like, 07:00 a.m. and sit at a desk all day, and we're all so different.
[00:45:07] Speaker B: So different.
[00:45:07] Speaker A: So important to figure out, like, what's your best way of doing things. But if we have this kind of framework or foundation that this power schedule is, I do think that that could make it so much easier for probably everyone.
[00:45:25] Speaker B: Everyone? Yeah. I mean, even if all we do this week is, like, find what active rest we want to partake in. Do that.
[00:45:34] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:45:34] Speaker B: If that's the thing that we. That we have time to, like or bandwidth to, like, take on this week, you know, like, that. That's the biggest thing no matter where it is in your day. Right. Like, I gave the framework and the science behind, like, the most, but, like, you'll split, right? Like, your sweet little body will be like. Like, I'm tired. I can't focus anymore. That is your time to go out and walk, run, bike, swim, read, meditate, yoga, you know, whatever. That's the time.
[00:46:03] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Obviously, we've been talking about my potential for schedule and my rhythm, but I am curious to know about yours as well. What is your.
[00:46:17] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. You are gonna look at my power schedule and be like, what are you? We are, like, very opposite, is the thing. Like, you're the night out, like the bird with the worm. Like, I'm just. So I wake up at five.
No. Yes.
[00:46:34] Speaker A: Sometimes I go to bed at five.
[00:46:36] Speaker B: That's like witching hour for most people, right? It's like, okay, okay.
I mean, I especially, like, your girl is in bed sleeping at 09:30 p.m. okay. You know what I mean? That's how it works. So basically. So I'm up at five, I get into the office, I write ten ideas in my journal, however long that takes. Right. Ten ideas. And then I'm working on my big, big creative projects.
[00:47:04] Speaker A: So ten ideas about anything. Just anything that comes in.
[00:47:07] Speaker B: Anything.
[00:47:07] Speaker A: Oh, wow.
[00:47:09] Speaker B: That has been a game changer, too. I mean, that's like a whole, you know, the artist's way. I don't know if you've read that book. No, it's like, you know, you journal three pages. It's kind of similar to this where it's like, you know, you just, like, just get some ten ideas out. It can take five minutes, it can take 20 minutes, but you just get something out on paper, and that's where some of, like, really good stuff happens. I mean, again, it's like, do some ten ideas. It will change. That will change your biz. I've definitely taken ideas from that, which.
[00:47:35] Speaker A: Is super fun, but, yeah, because I'm. I'm imagining that the biggest challenge for a lot of people is to not run with every idea that they get. Like, it's just write it down and then just, let's see.
[00:47:47] Speaker B: Just write it down. Yeah. No, like, I mean, you don't have to do anything about it. Like, you don't have to feel the pressure to, like, cross things off. This is not a checklist. It's just, you're just getting some stuff out. Yeah. And with the artist's way, they do it kind of similarly, where it's like you just, like, write three pages, whatever comes to mind, you could be writing. I don't know what to write on my pages right now. Right. But, like, just being able to, like, get stuff on paper, this is super helpful for like writers, podcasters.
I would even argue like any content people like things that like, you are kind of the intellectual thought, like thought scientists. That's a good thing to do. So you're just getting your thoughts on paper and then you can really get to the good stuff.
[00:48:27] Speaker A: Yeah, I love it.
[00:48:28] Speaker B: And then I work undisturbed until 830 on my big creative projects. And then I let the dogs out. I walk around a little bit in the yard out here. I get a snack, have some coffee. On Wednesdays and Thursdays I meet with my industry friends in the field and we talk about how we can move the needle in our industry. We brainstorm our business, big ideas that you just get everybody together. It's so beautiful. That has been lovely as well. 11:00 every day I get out of the office. Sometimes I take a hike, sometimes I run, I play pickleball at the gym, sometimes I go swimming. So that's the active rest part. After that activity, I eat a protein rich lunch smoothie maybe. And then from two to four I'm back in the office for emails, consult calls, admin, et cetera. 430 I start my girl by ritual. So I transfer over the tasks I need to do for the next day into their dedicated time blocks. I shut down the computer, I write in my gratitude journal, and I literally shut the door. That's the schedule.
[00:49:33] Speaker A: Okay, so for me that sounds like, you know, that's perfect on paper, but how are you able to implement it? Because that's where I would struggle, like, to actually do it.
[00:49:44] Speaker B: Yeah, I set alarms on my phone, as weird as that is. Like I have an alarm for 830, I have an alarm for eleven, and I have an alarm for two, and I have an alarm for four because, yeah, you have to get the trigger. Yeah, you know, that's, again, like what I coach on is like the habit stuff. If you don't get the trigger, then you won't do whatever it is that you're supposed to be doing. So I just set an annoying af trigger being an alarm, and it's like, oh, hello. And then you go, but do you.
[00:50:14] Speaker A: Just drop everything and then you just follow the alarm? You don't.
[00:50:18] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:50:18] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:50:19] Speaker B: Yeah, you just got it just like.
[00:50:21] Speaker A: And like, it's impressive.
[00:50:23] Speaker B: Well, it's really hard at first, right? It's hard at first, especially when you're first starting something new, but you know when after you do it. So it takes like what, 21 days to form a habit, 90 days to form a lifestyle.
So in that 90 days, like you know, we're just, we're just trying to get it right after that 90 days, it's like, you know, I can look up at the clock, be like, oh, it's five minutes till my alarm, and I've already been kind of, like, off boarding everything I needed for that alarm. Yeah. I mean, it's. And again, like, not every season of life is like that with wedding, you know, with wedding elopement, photographers specifically. Like, summer is a nut house and my sweet husband is home during the summer. So, like, things are different. We, you know, my, like, that routine does change. I just have a new one. Right. Like, I just have something new. And it's okay to really settle into different seasons. We all have them.
[00:51:16] Speaker A: It's okay.
[00:51:17] Speaker B: Yeah. I just found, like, it's kind of like, you know, the survivalists who, like, live out, like, in the wilderness with nothing but, like, their backpack in a tent and they're like, yeah, you really have to live with nature. You can't fight nature. You just have to, like, live in it.
I feel it's very, it's very similar with seasons of life. Like, you can't fight it. Just adapt to it and it will take care of you.
[00:51:41] Speaker A: Yeah. Because that makes a lot of sense because I do think that a lot of people spend a lot of energy fighting that, so, yeah, you just have to kind of adapt. Okay.
[00:51:50] Speaker B: Right.
[00:51:51] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:51:51] Speaker B: Yeah. Like, just give yourself the grace to adapt.
[00:51:54] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. No, I like it. Can we kind of summarize this into, like, what have we learned? We've learned about power schedules and how important, important it is to rest. I feel like that is a reminder. The biggest reminder is the importance of rest and the ways that you can rest. You have to find ways that kind of work for you. Can you walk us through the three different important stages that we. Just. As a reminder?
[00:52:22] Speaker B: Yeah. So, like, there's the time for creative thinking and, like, deep thinking. That's the time where we're really going to be strategizing in our business. So this is like the artist time and the CEO time. Okay. So that's the first 1 second one is our active rest time. And that's that you're getting out of the office. You're like, not thinking about work. You're giving your brain that time to be in that, you know, that mode, that DMN, that really just, like, makes it so you can see the future and you can daydream and you can just play. The third is all the other stuff, all the other admin right stuff that, you know, we have to do. It's not sexy, but like, business owners have to do it.
[00:53:02] Speaker A: Yeah. So you have to make time for all three and work with your own natural rhythm to create your own power schedule.
[00:53:12] Speaker B: Yeah. Yep. Shoot me a DM. I'm happy to help. Yeah. Like, if you have questions about this, like, I'm happy to help because it is so different. I mean, and again, like, I like to stack it with habits as well.
[00:53:24] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:53:24] Speaker B: So, I mean, especially with, I mean, I noticed this a bunch with like, say, for instance, you love coffee, but you have a hard time going for a walk in the morning. You cannot have that coffee until we get our sexy asses on a walk.
[00:53:39] Speaker A: Right.
[00:53:40] Speaker B: You know, like we just kind of stack it where it's like we're able to build it and kind of have that lifestyle right when we're first starting it out. Yeah. So habit building is important there, too.
[00:53:54] Speaker A: Yeah. And if someone wants a template, you'll send me the link and I'll share that in the show notes. Right?
[00:54:00] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. So I think, I mean, what's really cool about this is I gave a few, just examples of different, you know, things you can do to fill it in, but also one that's just pretty like active rest in this block. And so people can, like, fill it in with whatever that looks like for them and, like, creative work, whatever that looks like for them. Yeah.
[00:54:19] Speaker A: Excellent. Okay. This is really exciting.
[00:54:22] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:54:22] Speaker A: I have always had a batch schedule, like a batch working calendar, and that's worked really well for me. But I do think I'm ready now to take it to another level and kind of add some of this power schedule stuff to it so that it can be even better and really work with me and my way of being.
[00:54:44] Speaker B: Yes. Work with you. Yes. I mean, I would like, I'd love to hear how it goes too. Like, give it a few weeks and just like, see how you feel because, yeah, I mean, batching, it's like you're batching daily is kind of what the power schedule is. Right. It's like you're not like, oh, I saw an email come through. I'm going to do that right now. And then like, oh, I'm going to edit some photos, but like, oh, I saw another email. I mean, it's like, it's very intentional batching in a certain amount of time. Right. It's kind of like the Pomodoro method.
[00:55:12] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly.
[00:55:14] Speaker B: Where you're like, set for a certain amount of time. You do whatever it is you need to do and it just gets done quicker.
[00:55:20] Speaker A: Cool.
[00:55:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:55:21] Speaker A: I love that. I love that. This has been great. And already, I can't wait for our next talk. I'm sure we're going to find a topic that's equally fun, like this one.
[00:55:32] Speaker B: Well, I mean, this is fun for the systems people.
Some of our creative people, they're like, girl, this is not something else. Maybe, but I think it's super fun. Yeah. And still, to talk to you, as always.
[00:55:43] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's good.
Thank you so much for this.
[00:55:48] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:55:52] Speaker A: You just listened to an episode of sustainable photography. Please share this episode with the photographer you care about.
