Orange County Wedding Photographer Jen OSullivan » Boutique Wedding Photography based out of Orange County, California with studios in Irvine, Beverly Hills, and Pasadena.

Category Archives: Studio Practice

Monday, April 26, 2010

NOT Keeping up with the Joneses (Balancing career, family, life, and sanity)

Posted inStudio Practice,WEDDING PHOTO BUSINESS PRACTICE
My muse, JT. His smile is infectious!

My muse, JT. His smile is infectious!

You may be at a point in your career where you are juggling too much, or you can’t seem to keep things together, or you are just getting burned out. I will have to warn you, you will not like some of the things I have to say. If you can be honest with yourself, please be willing to try some of the things I will tell you. I understand that everyone is busy, busy, busy. I respect others workflow because everyone is different. HOWEVER, I always laugh a little to myself when people complain about how busy they are because of my own business. Just to give you some insight into my world: I own 4 successful businesses (Jen O’Sulivan Photo, Wedding And Event Specialists, Little Book Bindery, ASAP Mentoring). You know what my photo business is, however I also teach bookbinding to over 180 students a year at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Wedding And Event Specialists is a person to person network organization in Beverly Hills and ASAP Mentoring is a year round photography school where I mentor 12 full time students, do weekly lectures, and host shootouts and workshops once a month. I teach a High School class at Flintridge Preparatory in La Canada and a College class at College of the Canyons in Valencia. I am a mom of a 2 year old and wife. I am pretty traditional when it comes to my family. I take care of most of the household duties (meals, shopping, keeping things clean) and kid duties. I have child care for 10 hours a week but otherwise I am the full time child care provider. So, yes, I laugh just a little when someone complains to me about being too busy.
The number one question I get asked ALL THE TIME is, “How do you do it all?” Here is the short answer: I love EVERYTHING I do.
Here is the long answer:

It comes down to 10 important areas that I try to keep up. I don’t keep up with what everyone else is doing. I do what is right for me; what keeps me going and is not toxic to my life. These areas are my health, spirituality, spouse, children, home, extended family, clients, colleagues, friends, and community.

(This post will be broken up into 12 posts.)

Click HERE to read how I tackle the HEALTH issue.

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Copyright © 2010 by Jen O’Sullivan http://www.jenosullivan.com
Beverly Hills Wedding Photographer, Jen O’Sullivan is a boutique wedding photographer who specializes in portrait journalism.
Jen O’Sullivan Boutique Wedding Photography | 357 South Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, 90211 | 310-494-6547
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Monday, April 26, 2010

NOT Keeping Up with the Joneses (HEALTH)

Posted inStudio Practice,WEDDING PHOTO BUSINESS PRACTICE

One of my actual dinners at a wedding. The cheif was not happy I was a vegan so this was his "solution" to my problem.

One of my dinners at a wedding. Vegans are so difficult!:P

Part 2 of the 12 part series on balancing your life.

Out of the 10 main areas of concern when it comes to balancing your life, I listed HEALTH first because when you are down and out so is everything else in your life. Literally. Think about your home. If one person gets sick, they tend to bring the whole household down with them. And when that happens there will be a major loss in workflow and productivity. Here is what you need to do. GET HEALTHY. The number one reason most of you are not healthy has nothing to do with your ability to run up a flight of stairs or do 100 sit ups. It has everything to do with the crap you are fueling your body with. Here is where you may start to hate me just a bit.:)

You cannot drink coffee. Not one single cup. Caffeine saps your energy. Even drinking decaf. Tea is bad too. The only thing is herbal tea. That is it. No soda. No sports drinks. Definitely no energy drinks. All these things put chemicals, sugar, and yuck into your system. Your body then expends energy trying to figure out what to do with it. It saps your energy AND your immune system. Water. That’s it. Juice is fine too if you are a juicer straight from the fruit or vegetable. Anything else is worthless. Why? It is called pasteurization. Most drinkable liquids from natural substances like juice and milk need to be processes so as to reduce the number or pathogenic micro-organisms. This process will also most of the vital nutrients your body needs leaving whatever you are drinking somewhat useless. How the companies get around this is they will fortify the drink with vitamins and minerals that were lost in the pasteurization process bringing it all back to where it was when the process began. But is it really back? Not quite. Nutrients work together synergistically and mother nature got it right the first time.

The only way to ensure you are getting the right nutrients is a diet high in raw fruits and veggies. So, seriously, who has time for that. I try all the time to eat well when I can. You may know that I was vegan for the last year and am now vegetarian meaning I eat cheese and ice cream sometimes. Mostly my goal throughout the week is to eat as raw as I can. Nuts, dried fruit, whole fruit, lots of salad with just veggies (no cheese or creamy dressing). This may sound hard, but I will tell you I used to eat steak 3 times a week and a glass of milk every night. I was also a size 12 and tired all the time. I am not saying vegetarianism is for everyone however I am saying you should consider lowering your intake of animal proteins to 5% of your total food intake.

Let’s say this is not an option for you. My husband would laugh me out of the house if I tried to enforce this (although I have gotten him to regularly eat meatless meatballs.) WARNING: I am going to sell you something. Juice Plus+ It is what my entire family is on. You take it instead of your vitamins because it is a food vitamin rather than an isolated man made vitamin. I can tell you with certainty that this one product alone is why I am as healthy as I am. It is why my son of 27 months has only gotten one cold his entire life even with weekly trips to one of the most viral places on earth, Disneyland. If you want to check into it, go to http://www.jenlovesjuiceplus.com I am not trying to make any money off you rather I want you to be informed about something I swear by. I will never not take Juice Plus+ because my business and family depend on me.

Take your health seriously. Become an advocate for your body. You only have one.

Click HERE to learn how I tackle the SPIRITUALITY issue.

Click HERE to go back to the beginning of this topic.

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Copyright © 2010 by Jen O’Sullivan http://www.jenosullivan.com
Beverly Hills Wedding Photographer, Jen O’Sullivan is a boutique wedding photographer who specializes in portrait journalism.
Jen O’Sullivan Boutique Wedding Photography | 357 South Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, 90211 | 310-494-6547
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Monday, April 26, 2010

NOT Keeping Up with the Joneses (SPIRITUALITY)

Posted inStudio Practice,WEDDING PHOTO BUSINESS PRACTICE

Part 3 of the 12 part series on balancing your life.

Your spirituality is something between you and yourself, you and your God. I cannot tell you where you should or should not be spiritually because we are each on a different path. I can only tell you how I live. I am a Christian. I don’t judge others. I choose to love everyone where they are. I have a pretty active prayer life. I read my bible. I spend time with God. The time I spend helps me to stop, slow down, reconnect, and reassess where I am in life. If you are not a spiritual person I would like to recommend you start going on thankwalks. Take a fifteen minute walk around your neighborhood and with each step in rhythm only say what you are thankful for or are blessed with in your life. No ifs ands or buts. Just pure gratitude. If you can do this in the morning your whole day will be better for it.

Click HERE to read how I tackle the SPOUSE issue.

Click HERE to go back to the beginning of this topic.

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Copyright © 2010 by Jen O’Sullivan http://www.jenosullivan.com
Beverly Hills Wedding Photographer, Jen O’Sullivan is a boutique wedding photographer who specializes in portrait journalism.
Jen O’Sullivan Boutique Wedding Photography | 357 South Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, 90211 | 310-494-6547
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Monday, April 26, 2010

NOT Keeping Up with the Joneses (SPOUSE)

Posted inStudio Practice,WEDDING PHOTO BUSINESS PRACTICE

The love of my life and High School Sweetheart, Tim.

The love of my life and High School Sweetheart, Tim.

Part 4 of the 12 part series on balancing your life.

Part of keeping a balanced life is to remember your spouse is your partner. He or she is not your slave, not your dumping ground, not your back-up plan. You need to be as much a support to them as they are to you. Talk with them. Ask your spouse how you can support them and tell them how they can support you. It might surprise you. I know that the best way to keep my relationship happy with my husband is simply to keep our house clean. That’s it. Really, in a nut shell, men are quite simple when it comes to their needs. There are pretty much two things he needs and he is good. You can guess the second one. We also try to go to lunch together without Jacob. I think too often parents use their kids as buffers until one day they wake up and don’t really know each other anymore. As a wife, I take my role very seriously and you should too. Having relationship problems with your spouse is a sure fire way to get depressed and become highly unproductive.

Click HERE to read how I tackle the CHILDREN issue.

Click HERE to go back to the beginning of this topic.

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Copyright © 2010 by Jen O’Sullivan http://www.jenosullivan.com
Beverly Hills Wedding Photographer, Jen O’Sullivan is a boutique wedding photographer who specializes in portrait journalism.
Jen O’Sullivan Boutique Wedding Photography | 357 South Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, 90211 | 310-494-6547
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Monday, April 26, 2010

NOT Keeping Up with the Joneses (CHILDREN)

Posted inStudio Practice,WEDDING PHOTO BUSINESS PRACTICE
My little man, JT playing at our park.

My little man, JT playing at our park.

Part 5 of the 12 part series on balancing your life.

My biggest fear is becoming THAT parent.  The one who is always working to better their spouses and kids lives only never to experience it with them because they are always working. The one who is constantly on their smart phone in the car, at the restaurant, texting, and emailing away. The one who is always on the computer who says “just one more minute” and then takes 30. Okay, so I have to admit, it happens from time to time. I am well aware of it and my goal is to always jump off the computer when my kid wants attention. This is hard if you have a home office.

Here is some advice. Have scheduled time with your kids that is just theirs. Don’t tell them this or it will become trite to them. You need to physically schedule them in and then do nothing. Leave your phone at home or in your car. Just hang out with them. I take Jacob to the park, the zoo, Disneyland. When I do work, I try to make sure he is busy with a project and when he gets bored I play with him. The other thing I have done is to have a mother’s helper. Part of the 10 hours a week that I have a babysitter/nanny I am also home. That way it is like a play date for Jacob with the nanny. He knows I am upstairs getting work done but I often come downstairs for a few minutes to kiss on him. I want to be a mom who is present. I am protective over this time. Tim and I take Jacob on outings all the time. We have “family day” 3 days a week where we do something fun together. If you do not set time aside for this you will be truly sad when your child is all grown up and you cannot remember his or her milestones because you were simply not there.

Click HERE to read how I tackle the HOME issue.

Click HERE to go back to the beginning of this topic.

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Copyright © 2010 by Jen O’Sullivan http://www.jenosullivan.com
Beverly Hills Wedding Photographer, Jen O’Sullivan is a boutique wedding photographer who specializes in portrait journalism.
Jen O’Sullivan Boutique Wedding Photography | 357 South Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, 90211 | 310-494-6547
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Monday, April 26, 2010

NOT Keeping Up with the Joneses (HOME)

Posted inStudio Practice,WEDDING PHOTO BUSINESS PRACTICE

Part 6 of the 12 part series on balancing your life.

When your living space is a mess you can be certain your life may be a mess too. I am the first to admit that I can be a pretty big slob. My office gets so piled up with papers and work and other photo stuff that it can be a little overwhelming to someone on the outside. I have very organized client files and computer files however I do have an issue with everything around it all. It is always feast or famine, one or the other. My husband thinks I have bi-polar disorder with my office. Sometimes it is out of control clean and some times it is just out of control. He always laughs when he comes home from work to see it spick and span. The first words out of his mouth are always, “We’ll see what it looks like tomorrow.” Sadly he is usually right. So, I do need to work on this one. Our joint living spaces on the other hand need to stay clean. When the kitchen or living room or bedrooms are not clean, you better believe I can feel a strain in my life. This is by far the hardest thing for me, but I try and you should too. We all know how good it feels to have a wonderfully clean place to live and work in.

Click HERE to read how I tackle the EXTENDED FAMILY issue.

Click HERE to go back to the beginning of this topic.

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Copyright © 2010 by Jen O’Sullivan http://www.jenosullivan.com
Beverly Hills Wedding Photographer, Jen O’Sullivan is a boutique wedding photographer who specializes in portrait journalism.
Jen O’Sullivan Boutique Wedding Photography | 357 South Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, 90211 | 310-494-6547
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Monday, April 26, 2010

NOT Keeping Up with the Joneses (EXTENDED FAMILY)

Posted inStudio Practice,WEDDING PHOTO BUSINESS PRACTICE
My best friend and sister for life, Cindi with her two sons.

My best friend and sister for life, Cindi with her two sons.

Part 7 of the 12 part series on balancing your life.

When you are single your family are your mom, dad, and siblings. When you are married your family is your husband (and kids if you have any) and everyone else is extended family. The hard thing about any family not living with you is that they become their own issue to keep up with in your life; and a very important one, too. I list this group right after your home. Spouse is first, then your kids, then your home, then your extended family. Sadly many people get the first two out of order. They would say their kids come first, then their spouses, their home, and then extended family. The reason this is bad: kids will grow up to not understand what a healthy relationship because you are catering to them first. They need to see that they cannot infiltrate the solidity of you and your spouse. This will build a very strong relational foundation for them.

So, onto your extended family. While important, they can, and sometimes will impose on your life too much. They need to know your boundaries and everyone needs to respect them. Okay, who am I kidding. Extended family can get kind of messy. We all have our issues, however the best way to tackle them is to let people know how you are feeling. It is not important how they interpret what you say, but that you are okay with your relationship with them. As a business owner you will need to let them know how they can support you.

Also, be very careful what you do and don’t do for your family. What I mean by this: they will expect you to do everything you do for your clients at top dollar for them for free and without thanks. My advice: 1. do everything for free without thanks and move on. 2. Do nothing at all and move on.:)I have a policy with my family. If the event is important enough where they want photography, they need to ask me, otherwise I may or may not show up with a camera. While I love shooting anything and everything I do sometimes like to just hang out. Could you imagine if your brother who is a doctor had to do mini check ups with every family member at Thanksgiving? It would never happen. Your family can easily expect too much without saying a word. On the flip side they may not want their photo taken at every gathering. Where you think of it as a huge benefit, they think of it as “Here we go again with the family photos. Do I have to?” Pick your battles wisely with your family. Be generous but don’t expect any pats on the back. You are stuck with them for life.

Click HERE to read how I tackle the CAREER issue.

Click HERE to go back to the beginning of this topic.

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Copyright © 2010 by Jen O’Sullivan http://www.jenosullivan.com
Beverly Hills Wedding Photographer, Jen O’Sullivan is a boutique wedding photographer who specializes in portrait journalism.
Jen O’Sullivan Boutique Wedding Photography | 357 South Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, 90211 | 310-494-6547
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