A difficult stretch of work coming up

[Sherlock77]

Christmas time in the recycling industry = lots of hours!

This year at work they have posted a "projected" schedule for the month and into early January... This week coming up is scheduled as a six day work week (working the 14th)... Next week another six day work week (working the 21st)... Christmas week we will get Christmas Day off of course on the Wednesday, but from the 26th when most of Canada will get Boxing Day off, I'm back to work until Saturday, one day weekend again...

And the worst for me, at this point they plan to have us work on New Year's Day! Not that I'm a party person, but I like going to New Year's outside for my photography

I have never seen them schedule Saturday shifts before Christmas, it will likely (possibly) be several weeks with few days off, exhausting! I'm not looking forward to it, not sure how I'll power through it, although we do get overtime pay and holiday pay and such for those extra days

And all these hours during the dark days of winter with short days, lots of those shifts I won't see any daylight or very little daylight, plus always the possibility of some very cold days and/or major snow

I'm also dreading how little photography I'm likely to do in this stretch, as selfish as that may sound... And wondering/concerned how to feed my Instagram account if I'm working so much... Why am I always thinking that? I have always had a fear that if I miss posts for too long that people will forget that I exist (perhaps a slight exaggeration), not that my number of followers is super huge in the first place...

Yet I also heard a talk recently from a pro photographer who also works lots with social media, he said that people shouldn't worry about it, that how everyone works off the feeds it really shouldn't happen, certainly in the long term...

If we do work that six day work week this week, I went out this afternoon (on a sunny winter day) to soak in the sun a little and take a few photos, it's how I relax, something I won't get much chance to do...

Hopefully I survive this, alright one photo from today, something a little different:

 

[Wolfnox]

Advise Christmas tree and lights. They seem to add much needed cheer during winter darkness.

 

[George Newman]

Hang in there, that first full weekend off will be wonderful.

Maybe set yourself a goal for after the busy season; like new photography software or related thing. Or maybe find a photography event to look forward to and plan for.

Make it the best you can. Dreading it just makes it worse. I worked two jobs for five years with one day off every three weeks. I made myself miserable. I regret not making the most of the opportunities to be positive during that time.

 

[Sherlock77]

Hang in there, that first full weekend off will be wonderful.

Maybe set yourself a goal for after the busy season; like new photography software or related thing. Or maybe find a photography event to look forward to and plan for.

Make it the best you can. Dreading it just makes it worse. I worked two jobs for five years with one day off every three weeks. I made myself miserable. I regret not making the most of the opportunities to be positive during that time.

Not that I don't agree with you, but I find it hard to be positive at times like this, when I know I should be more positive, maybe some mind trickery?... Anyway, off to work shortly, for what might be a six day work week...

 

[All-Rounder]

You sound to have a lot of frustration going on, and on top of it you disregard yourself for the way you feel, which only adds to it.

New years is a time with quite a bit of events going on outside, is it that you don't actually want to capture nature but rather new years surrounding events? Or is it just a gift for holidays you expect to gift yourself. You are only human, just like you can't expect others reasonably to always have that perfect gift or time for you, you can't expect yourself to have time for your hobbies all the time. Now that usually comes with frustration, but remember you are still your best friend and are there for yourself to help you through and the way you feel is not selfish, you have your own needs and desires and that is ok.

I used to think what makes a photographer is not necessarily the area they are in but Im starting to think that's not true seeing how your passion pulls you towards the special areas and things you want to capture. Without finding passion in something you can even be miserable doing what you otherwise liked. It's like a sherlockian trying to get into vet caretaking, it might just keep him busy rather than help him reach his true passion.

It's usually miserable not having time for yourself and being so busy with work that drains you, especially when others are probably enjoying time off doing what they want on the holidays.

You might accidentally exagerrate when your brain worries so heavily about instagram, there are always people who take a break, and even if some followers drop, it's not the end of your account and work. You can get more. Like a good sherlockian you can figure out the perfect plan/place to bring back followers and repay loyal ones for sticking with you. Remember that a relationship with fans is a relationship too, don't hesitate to express thanks and talk about what kept you away for a while. ^w^ Im sure thatll bring smiles too, you're not an image posting device, you are a real human, a Photographer with an artistic sensitive soul and feelings, and one who cares about his instagram loyals and wants to be understood and accepted.

 

[Nervous Rex]

Plan some small activities that you can do which help you relax, recenter and recompose yourself. Do whatever you need to do to have them ready (e.g. if you like crosswords, have a crossword book and pencil out where you can easily find it.)

Basically, you've got a bit of desert to cross - plan your own oases.

 

[Sherlock77]

You sound to have a lot of frustration going on, and on top of it you disregard yourself for the way you feel, which only adds to it.

New years is a time with quite a bit of events going on outside, is it that you don't actually want to capture nature but rather new years surrounding events? Or is it just a gift for holidays you expect to gift yourself. You are only human, just like you can't expect others reasonably to always have that perfect gift or time for you, you can't expect yourself to have time for your hobbies all the time. Now that usually comes with frustration, but remember you are still your best friend and are there for yourself to help you through and the way you feel is not selfish, you have your own needs and desires and that is ok.

I used to think what makes a photographer is not necessarily the area they are in but Im starting to think that's not true seeing how your passion pulls you towards the special areas and things you want to capture. Without finding passion in something you can even be miserable doing what you otherwise liked. It's like a sherlockian trying to get into vet caretaking, it might just keep him busy rather than help him reach his true passion.

It's usually miserable not having time for yourself and being so busy with work that drains you, especially when others are probably enjoying time off doing what they want on the holidays.

You might accidentally exagerrate when your brain worries so heavily about instagram, there are always people who take a break, and even if some followers drop, it's not the end of your account and work. You can get more. Like a good sherlockian you can figure out the perfect plan/place to bring back followers and repay loyal ones for sticking with you. Remember that a relationship with fans is a relationship too, don't hesitate to express thanks and talk about what kept you away for a while. ^w^ Im sure thatll bring smiles too, you're not an image posting device, you are a real human, a Photographer with an artistic sensitive soul and feelings, and one who cares about his instagram loyals and wants to be understood and accepted.

As my friend said on the weekend over coffee, I need to be gentle on myself, I'm trying, I think...

My main specialty is urban photography, I do very little nature stuff... I'm the guy who will float around outdoor events on my own and do photography...