Editing, Shooting, and Client Time: How to Build a Weekly Schedule That Doesn’t Eat Your Life
Let’s be honest: most of us didn’t start a photography business so we could spend our days glued to Lightroom, knee-deep in email threads about “Can you Photoshop out my ex?”
We started this thing for freedom.
For time.
For art.
And also, let’s not kid ourselves, for money.
But somewhere along the way, your Google Calendar started looking like it had a nervous breakdown. You’re shooting at golden hour, editing at midnight, emailing at school pickup, and wondering how exactly this was supposed to be better than your 9-to-5.
So let’s fix it.
Here’s how to build a weekly schedule that gives you breathing room, keeps clients happy, and still gets the work done — without sacrificing your weekends, your sanity, or your will to photograph again.
✨ First, Know What Kind of Photographer You Are
Let’s get something straight: time management looks different depending on your business model. So here’s a quick gut-check:
Are you…
- A high-touch, boutique photographer who sells artwork and meets in person?
- A volume photographer doing mini sessions, schools, or headshots?
- A low-touch, email-only, gallery-based queen who likes to keep it snappy?
Whichever one you are, own it. That identity is going to shape how your week flows. And yes — you can shift this from season to season (we love a photographer who evolves).
🧠 Create a Weekly Rhythm That Actually Makes Sense
Think of your week as a pie (because pie makes everything better). Here’s how you might slice it (and this is really similar to how I do!):
Monday: Admin + Planning
- Check email. Not all day — once in the AM, once in the PM.
- Set goals for the week (What has to happen? What would be awesome?)
- Prep any delivery deadlines or blog/social posts.
- Back up files from weekend sessions (you do back up, right?)
Tuesday + Wednesday: Editing + Client Delivery
- Heads down, headphones in.
- Batch edit. Schedule galleries or get those albums designed.
- Don’t forget to add some margin for life — if you’re a mom, this is also “surprise call from school nurse” or “I forgot to bring the water bottle… AGAIN” territory. Build that buffer.
Thursday: Marketing + Outreach
- Work ON the business, not just in it.
- Write a blog post, email your list, schedule Reels, or plan a promo.
- Update your pricing guide or prep for upcoming sessions.
- Outreach! DM that boutique about a pop-up, pitch a collab, or follow up on leads.
Friday: Flex or Overflow
- Overflow from earlier in the week
- Catch up on anything you pushed from Monday
- Creative time (new ideas, new offers, dream planning!)
- Or — and hear me on this — TAKE THE DAY OFF. GO GET THOSE NAILS DONE.
Saturday/Sunday: Shoot Days
- Keep these sacred. Don’t also try to edit and deliver and market.
- Pick one day as your shoot day. Or do mornings only. Or alternate weekends.
- Build a life you actually like showing up for, not one that runs you ragged.
⏰ Now, Protect Your Time Like a Mama Bear With Coffee
You are not Target. You do not need to be open 24/7. Boundaries are your best friends.
- Set office hours and put them in your email signature.
- Only check messages twice a day (you’re not a neurosurgeon).
- Batch your work — edit in chunks, email in chunks, market in chunks.
The more you context-switch, the more your creativity suffers. Your brain is a thoroughbred horse, not a circus pony.
🧩 What About Custom Projects, Pop-Ups, or Busy Seasons?
Build your year like a quilt, not a sprint.
- If you know fall minis are your cash cow, block off the 4–6 weeks leading up to them to ONLY focus on prep, client experience, and delivery.
- If you’re doing school portraits or seasonal headshots, build in 1–2 days a week just for those edits and orders.
- If you’re launching a course or doing boutique pop-ups — cool! Block time out in advance and push shoots to other weeks.
You are the architect of your week. But you have to act like one, not like a passenger on the procrastination train to nowhere.
❤️ Final Thought: Your Time Is a Finite Resource — Treat It Like One
You will never regret creating margin. You will never look back and wish you had booked just one more session during the week your kid got the flu, your dishwasher flooded, or your hormones tried to take you down like a rogue wave.
Time, my friend, is your most expensive product. Don’t sell it too cheap.
So block that calendar.
Stick to your rhythm.
And leave space for magic — in your work, in your home, and in your brain.
Read Next: — How to Choose Your Family Photography Style (and Make It Sell Without Selling Out)