Boundaries That Saved My Creativity

The battle of knowing when to rest and waiting until my body forces me to, feels like a cycle I keep stepping into - loving it enough to stay but never really knowing when to rest.

For a long time, I thought being a photographer meant always saying yes. Yes to every shoot, idea and every opportunity to create. I was afraid that if I slowed down, I’d fall behind - or worse, lose all the work I had built for myself.

But when you split your time between university two days a week and working in management the other four, balance starts to feel more like a dream than a reality. On paper there’s one day left… one day that SHOULD be a rest day. But it never is.

That day quickly turns into a catch-up day. A day where everything I didn’t have time for during the week gets crammed into this one day. The things I was putting off. And instead of it feeling like a break, it felt like I was constantly trying to tie loose ends. It became a list… a long list.

With that, I knew something had to change. I had to change my approach to time.

Instead of trying to do everything in one day, I’ve started setting more smaller, achievable goals. Not everything needs to be finished at once. One day it’s just finishing editing a shoot, other days it’s doing an hour contribution to University.

But then gaps began to appear. Gaps that would allow me time to take a break, spend time with my family - who live in Manchester. Gaps that allowed me to create a boundary to save my creativity and my sanity.

I’ve realised that avoiding a burnout isn’t about having more time - it’s about using the time I have in a way that works for me, which will be different for everyone. My routine isn’t perfect; but it’s more balanced, more manageable and more sustainable to keep my life balanced.

How do you create balance in your week without feeling you’re falling behind?