My Work Mantra For 2019
2018 was very much of year of exploration for me when it came to anything work-related. I went through quite a lot of changes and I feel really quite settled with what I want and where I want to go, which is a wonderful feeling as I can’t remember the last time that I went into a new year with as much clarity as this. So here is what my current work routine and mantra will hopefully be for the next 12 months.
A REALISTIC BLOG SCHEDULE
Something that I learnt the hard way last year is that creating a blog post every single day is not something you can keep up permanently. It was something that I did for years and years, I absolutely loved it at the time there is no denying that. The only reason I started posting daily is that I had so many ideas and wanted to get them all out it was never the pressure to conform or fit in. But when I was posting daily my content was much shorter, there was only one image and a short body of text so having that constant flow was far easier to maintain than the type of posts that I like to create now. Now I post every other day or when I’m really on the ball Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday which is my preferred schedule, to be honest. Being realistic with myself and creating a work schedule that is actually obtainable is something that doesn’t exactly sound very “girlboss” of me but truthfully I want to avoid burn out as much as possible in 2019. I’ve spent far too many years of thinking that I need to work to work a crazy amount to get the approval of others and that isn’t something that I want to carry on any longer. That isn’t what success looks like to me as there are so many things that I’d like to do in life that doesn't involve sitting behind my desk to look like I’m busy to other people on the internet.
FORGETTING THE INSTAGRAM THEME
I’ve maintained the same Instagram theme for nearly 4 years now and it was getting to the point where it was causing me far too much stress and worry. When I first created my account over 8 years ago there was no theme, no structure or plan and granted those pictures were rather dull but the way that I used the platform was so carefree and that is something that I miss so much. And I’m not ashamed to say that I enjoy having a nice grid at all and I don’t think that anyone should feel bad for saying that but I would like to take so much pressure off things. As well as forgetting the theme I also want to try and utilise stories more, it’s the part of the app where I spend the most time but I still struggle with the fear of being boring but that’s the type of thing I enjoy seeing from the people I follow. And my golden rule when it comes to creating any type of content is to make something that you enjoy consuming yourself.
A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BRANDS I WORK WITH
Something that has gradually developed over the years is a really healthy relationship with the brands I work with. It’s rare these days that I get an e-mail land in my inbox and it be a world away from what I actually do and usually the e-mails are very personal and the person writing them has either followed me for a while or done a lot of research to make sure it’s a good fit for the both of us. Something that I’ve always felt passionately about is if I’m going to work with a brand there needs to be a good understanding from both parties of what will work and what won’t. It’s when the best work is produced and it’s always well received by the people viewing it, which is ultimately what any brand wants. Working to a brief that has a core message and belief is something that I enjoy so much as it enables me to work those messages in with my own creative vision and hopefully create something that both parties are happy with.
WORK WITH MORE ETHICAL BRANDS
As well as maintaining a great relationship with the people that I already work with on a regular basis something else I’d love to do is to start to work with more ethical brands. The whole internet is talking about this subject and it’s so good that we’re all learning more about it when we might have possibly been in the dark before. I think it’s about time the walls were broken down and we we’re all encouraged to do what we can, with these type of things there is usually an all or nothing type of attitude towards it which shouldn’t be the way we all approach it at all. There is absolutely no way we can all be role model humans who are always doing right by ourselves and the planet, it just isn’t that simple in our current climate but we could all probably stand to do a little more than we are now.
Begin A NEW VENTURE
I’ve not started anything new for a while and whilst last year was very much a time of figuring things out it was also a year that I plodded along work wise. And I’m not against those years because I think they can be incredibly valuable and we all probably need them from time to time but I don’t want 2019 to go the same way. In March I’ll be releasing something that isn’t really to do with blogging or Instagram and focuses more on photography, specifically helping businesses with the photographic part of their brand. It’s where my passion truly lies and without it then this blog wouldn’t exist so I’d really like to push myself in a more photographic focused path. It’s somewhere I truly see myself being and something that I believe I can do. Nothing will really change on here as I absolutely adore what I do and having a space where I can create whatever I please is something that I feel so incredibly fortunate to have. From Roses will turn 8 this year and I cannot believe what it’s transformed into, I rarely look back from where I began and appreciate what I’ve created but I am proud to say that it’s barely recognisable from what it once was (in the best way possible). Starting something new always terrifies me as the fear always gets in my head but I’m determined to push through it this year and not let it hold me back from something I want to achieve.
