When I asked the universe for more of a work/life balance I didn’t expect a global pandemic to answer my call, but here we are!
“Alexa What day is it?”
Googles “How many Ice Pops can a toddler have in a day”
Searching Amazon for “Fridge Padlocks”
Boris can grandparents have shared custody during lockdown? Asking for a friend!
Just some of the thoughts I’ve had over the last few weeks, Northern Ireland has been in Lockdown for around 4 weeks and I chose to close my buisness and self isolate 3 days ago, so I’ve been in lockdown for 36 days, but whose counting! I’ve definitely been on a journey in those days, I’ve never been shy about the fact that my career is my first child and I’ve never been one to stay at home (I took 3.5 weeks maternity leave by choice to prove it!) I know some parents will think thats terrible but I grew up in a really strong entrepreneurial family and I’m proud that Libby will grow up with the same work ethic (I hope).
The first few weeks off were fab, the studio got a pre lockdown deep clean and I moved the imac and anything clients could need posted home and learned to love my kitchen table workspace, the house was scrubbed clean several times and I turned myself into an editing machine for 2 weeks and for the first time in 4 years I have no editing queue! The weeks a from then have been a rollercoaster, I want to work, I want to chill, I want to get dressed up and then theres days where I cant even be bothered Brushing my hair. Thats totally okay and I know within photographers we are all on a very similar path from motivation to fear and back every few days. Being self employed is amazing but putting your dreams on hold while the world battles this crappy virus is the pits and I cant wait for it to be over!
My clients have been flipping fantastic! 12 weddings and counting have been rescheduled with all bar one on suitable dates for me personally (I can hire in an assistant to shoot a wedding on my behalf at the worst). I have been beyond proud that every single one of them for their positive outlook, every client has their silver lining for a new date from family abroad who wouldn’t have made it, more time for operation bride bod, a love for the autumn look and even pregnant bridesmaids who will fit into their dresses again, I’ve herd it all! The support from everyone else has been class and I still find myself chatting to 5-10 different clients a day when I expected my inbox to die like my social life. So many messages checking in and sending support as well as a fair few unexpected gifts from Doorstep Dairies households.
This shiny new website you decided to pop onto today also kept me amused for a solid 10 days of uploading, linking, coding and “Blogging” (More like waffling but it gives me someone apart from my hubby to annoy sure!) and now this is finished I’ll have to find a new project! You lot are keeping me surprisingly busy with lots of USB and print orders from everyone who forgot their gallery expired until they were sat at home and went to look, album orders, vouchers and more amazingly new inquiries galore. The ability of people to keep looking and attempting to plan ahead has been a rainbow amidst what I expected to be a really crappy time, Though I will sa – Boris if your reading this I could do with that 80% for the self employed, I blew my last month pre lockdown income on a new website and I may need bigger clothes if this lasts another four weeks, Great thanks!
While I’m so lucky to be able to stay at home its definitely not easy, so positive vibes to all the parents, single households, couples and everyone else out there trying to keep their s**t together and an even bigger shoutout to those still out there doing their thing so the rest of us can stay at home.
I’m doing okay, I hope you are too!
(Here’s some pictures of the Ice pop powered tiny dictator herself, Libby! Because she’s much more interesting than my messy kitchen table desk and probably the reason you clicked this post in the first place!)
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