As the title suggests, it's time to get organised and I am organised!

Sort out your life

At the moment, I'm working as a full-time freelancer (which is just a fancy way of saying I'm currently unemployed but managing to stay afloat) until I land another role. So, I've been spending a lot of time getting everything in order, from banking and my calendar to my equipment and portfolio. The list goes on and on, but I know I need to be on top of my game now more than ever.

When you have a guaranteed source of income, it's easy to become complacent and not worry too much about life. After all, there's always another paycheck coming at the end of the month. But what happens when that source is suddenly cut off? That's when things get tricky.

My calendar is my new best friend

I've found that using a calendar has become crucial in arranging my life. Not only do I use it for shoots, reminders, and interviews, but I also have a group calendar with other photographers which me and a handful of other photographers have been keeping together. We share what's happening in town, in other cities in the UK, and even internationally if someone happens to be abroad. It keeps us all informed, on our toes, and always aiming for something. It's rare that we experience a proper drought of information. Everyone cares about different things and shares different information.

In a way, we've done something that agencies probably don't want us to do. We've democratised journalism for freelancers, almost. We are very selective about who we allow into the group. If you're not familiar with us or we don't recognise you, we tend to say nothing unless it’s off the cuff. But personally, I give information to certain people who I think could do with that type of leg up if they are up to play the game of Street Crawling.

Time is on my side

I have so much time right now, it's almost unbelievable. I miss this form of freedom. I'm only limited by my wallet and what I can conjure up. I spend a lot of time on the street, doing test shoots because I can. If I want to turn this into my main career in the future, it has to be done. But I'm happy to have so many projects ready, in place, and waiting to be worked on without the need for "the man" to watch my every move.

Every time I've been unemployed, it's always felt like this. I want more of it, to the point where I can become self-sustaining and genuinely experience what it means to live a life beyond the typical Friday night out after a long week.