What would it feel like to simply have more time in my day?

To do less better. Feel less reactive to the needs of my work, and the realities of being a freelancer?

When I close my eyes and dream up what my ideal week looks like, nowhere in that vision do I see myself pumping out social media content. I do see myself creating, but not because I have to, but because I want to and it makes sense for my goals.

I don't think I am unique in this feeling. To help me start getting a handle on the multitude of projects I am juggling, I hired an operations manager. This isn't just a financial investment; it's a transformative one. As a small business owner, I am used to being the one who figures everything out. I built my website, I handle my client meetings, I am my own tech support, marketing manager, copywriter, accountant, and so on.

I committed to three months and laid out goals for each month. Her name is Nikki. I have reached a point in my business where there are more tasks than I have time for. Or maybe another way to look at it, I have more goals than I have time. I don't think I am unique in this feeling either.

When I pause to think about what I hope to get out of having help, the feeling I am looking for is that of space. It would be nice to have someone handle some basic tasks I repeatedly do, absolutely, but what I am really paying for is more time.

Clarity on next steps opens up brain capacity.

Whether you are in a job or not, whether you are freelance or an artist on the side, I think it is easy to think you must always be doing more, producing more. I feel this all the time. I am writing blogs, newsletters, while building a second website, but let's not forget the SEO tasks I have for my primary site. I am building service packages and booking consultation calls. I am recording a podcast and starting a YouTube channel, while thinking about what my legacy as an artist will be. There are not enough hours in the day to make it all happen.

In my last meeting with Nikki, she started the call with a tracker for next year, with a section for each quarter, and sections for all my different revenue streams. I do this for clients for their content, why hadn't I done this for myself and my income? Not mind-blowing stuff. And for the first time in a long while, I suddenly felt like I had time. We decided on a primary focus for the first part of the year, and this included leaving space for personal goals.

I often tell clients to "do less better". I think in my excitement, being the creative I am, I wanted to do everything all at once, but it took an outside perspective to remind me that I am already doing a lot. I am allowed to let things breathe and grow before starting the next thing. I know this isn't the same issue for everyone. Too many projects to count, really truly my own personality at work here, as I want to know how to do everything.

But what I do see as a common thread for clients is a two-part problem:

Problem One: They are producing so much content that they don't really do anything great with what they do have. They don't let it breathe and get the most out of it. This leads to jumping tactics, not learning from numbers that may take 30 days to make sense, being reactive, not using their own editorial calendar, and finally feeling like nothing is enough and experiencing burnout.

You don't need 20 emails planned to send the first one, and you don't need to know how to upload a podcast to record it. Honestly, you will figure it out. You need a basic strategy, which will get you further than thinking about the copy on every single post.

You need clarity on the why, who, when, and what. The action you want from people. Or perhaps why you are even doing 'the thing'.

When I sent out my first newsletter on a Tuesday, not even 24 hours later, I realized I had a massive gap in my plan. I had taken time before writing and sending my newsletter to create a template to reduce the thought process when putting it together. I had gained clarity on why I was writing and sending them, and I also knew who I was writing for. I also knew that I like to take my time when writing, often letting things marinate for days if not weeks so I can edit with a different mindset. But what I had missed was that a successful newsletter keeps you top of mind with your readers. I realized I had also succumbed to making things overly complicated. So, after sending my newsletter I spent way to many hours on, I decided to send a weekly Friday Roundup. It allows me to not overthink things, simply include what I am working on, thinking about, and sharing with clients, and send it. I give myself one hour on Thursday to finalize the email and keep my eyes open throughout the week for anything I find newsletter-worthy. It has helped me really look at things from the perspective of 'what would help a creative or business owner who is creative'.

What about overproducing content? I have several tools as part of my sanity plan, which is a whole other future blog article. But here is what I really want you to think about: If you are feeling tired of content production for marketing or promotion, take a step back and think about the following:

• Are you creating with intention? Is this content attracting the right person, or supporting sales or driving traffic where you need it to go? For instance, if you know that creating funny or trendy videos gets you views and you only focus on this, will it actually attract that client who will buy your photos? I am not saying never have fun or be inspired by a trend, but it cannot be the cornerstone of a content marketing plan. At some point, you have to sell the thing, say the thing, and honestly, it means hitching your success to other people's ideas.

• Do you enjoy the content you are creating? If not, why are you doing it? Really, ask yourself. Why are you doing something you don't even like? Are you worried it won't perform? Imagine if you did enjoy what you were creating. What would that look like? Which leads me to the next question.

• Are you creating for a space, medium, or platform that makes sense for you? Not everyone wants to write; not everyone wants to create videos. Just like being intentional with what you are creating, be intentional with where you are creating it. There is a reason why I am giving more energy to my blogs and newsletters these days than I am to my Instagram. I am a photographer, but I only want to post my photos and not rely on Instagram as my main platform. I find more joy and pleasure in writing, crafting blogs, and showcasing my work on my website, where the work can have a formal space that won't disappear in less than 24 hours. I have so many photos that posting to Instagram is easy at this point. I schedule everything in Later once a week and just pop on to chat with friends and reply to comments. The areas where I invest my time are writing, SEO, and my website.

• Are you letting your content breathe and getting the most out of it? For example, if you enjoy writing, you can repurpose your blog content to create social media posts, share it in a newsletter, or even make accompanying YouTube videos. Conversely, if you prefer creating videos, you can take the transcript, turn it into a blog post, and include a link to the video in a newsletter. You can also extract clips and captions to share your work. If you are a photographer, consider creating a showcase on your website around a specific theme or idea. If writing is not your preference, focus on essential SEO practices such as naming your images, using great titles, and making it easy to share your work. Then, promote your showcase by sending it to past clients as part of a monthly update and inspiration, as well as sharing it on social media. The key is to be proactive with your content rather than reactive.

• Are you using an Editorial calendar? Stop being reactive with your content. I use Notion to have an idea of my ongoing content plan. Do I always know exactly what I will post on Instagram next week? Nope. I'm always shooting, so I have a mix of what I love, what I just took, and slowly I am incorporating photos of images I am considering to print. I also use my photos to link back to blogs I write, so it all gets mixed in.

But what the calendar helps with is seeing the bigger picture. What is the goal, and how much am I actually posting? For instance, I technically have a YouTube channel, but it isn't the priority at the moment. So, for now, I make sure to cross-post any short videos I make for clients or myself there. This way, I get more out of my content and don't forget to utilize the things I create.

Using an Editorial calendar also means you are less likely to panic when it comes to launching a new idea, selling, or making an announcement. Simply make a work-back plan. Launching a new service? Well, wouldn't it make sense to start talking about it early? You want to announce and start booking, not just announce and start selling.

I understand that some people may be skeptical when they hear that they could be creating too much content, especially if they already feel overwhelmed. However, that's the whole point. What if you took some time this week to sit down and plan out your month? What if you knew that you had two weeks to create 5 pieces of content for the 'thing' you want to promote before the launch? Then you might think, "Hey, maybe I should also send a couple of emails and include a discount link or offer early access in my newsletter?" Then you realize that once the 'thing' is live, you'll probably want to talk about it a lot at first and then gradually mention it once a week. Can you create all of that content in batches now? By doing so, you are effectively creating dedicated time in your month to create, execute, and let your content breathe.

Having written all of this, I understand that it is always easier said than done. As a photographer and artist trying to make a living in the digital age, I am also on this rollercoaster. I feel the pressure to create more and be everywhere.

Currently, I am in the process of creating my own version of a sanity plan that acknowledges my needs both as an artist and as someone who needs to pay the bills.