Detailed Summary of "Breaking Free from Overwhelm with Maddie Peschong" on "This Can't Be That Hard"

Podcast Information:

• Title: This Can't Be That Hard
• Host: Annemie Tonken
• Episode: 292 - Breaking Free from Overwhelm with Maddie Peschong
• Release Date: November 26, 2024
• Description: This episode delves into the pervasive issue of overwhelm among photographers running their businesses. Host Annemie Tonken is joined by Maddie Peschong, a seasoned brand photographer, to explore strategies for identifying, managing, and overcoming feelings of being overwhelmed to ensure mental well-being and business sustainability.

Introduction

Annemie Tonken opens the episode by sharing a relatable scenario about a student grappling with overwhelm while dealing with personal health uncertainties and business commitments. This sets the stage for a broader discussion on overwhelm—a common yet often misunderstood challenge faced by photographers and small business owners.

Guest Introduction: Maddie Peschong

Maddie Peschong introduces herself as a brand photographer and educator based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. With over twelve years of experience in photography and six years specializing in brand photography, Maddie has successfully transitioned from a marketing background to running her own photography business. She leads programs like Rebrands, aimed at helping photographers scale their businesses, and Rewind, a course designed to guide photographers through their first brand session.

Understanding Overwhelm

Defining Overwhelm: Annemie defines overwhelm as a state where excessive stress hampers clear thinking and effective decision-making, often making business owners feel trapped in a "locked room."

Maddie's Perspective: Maddie agrees and expands that overwhelm can stem from various sources, including learning new skills, having unrealistic expectations, and overconsumption of information.

Maddie Peschong (15:39): "Am I overwhelmed or am I learning something new? ... Am I overwhelmed or are my expectations totally out of whack? ... Am I overwhelmed or am I over consuming?"

Identifying the Causes of Overwhelm

1. Learning Something New:

   • Tackling new tools or strategies (e.g., Maddie's experience with Airtable) can trigger feelings of overwhelm.

2. Unrealistic Expectations:

   • Setting unattainable goals, such as expecting to complete week-long projects in a single day, leads to persistent stress.

3. Overconsumption:

   • Excessive use of social media and consuming too much information can exacerbate feelings of being overwhelmed.

Personal Experiences with Overwhelm

Maddie shares her personal journey of experiencing overwhelm while developing her programs Rewind and Rebrands. She describes a period in May when she found herself caught in a relentless cycle of shooting, filming, and managing client work without a clear endpoint, leading to a constant state of overwhelm.

Maddie Peschong (10:21): "I found myself constantly saying, I'm overwhelmed. I'm overwhelmed. I'm overwhelmed."

Strategies to Manage Overwhelm

1. Setting and Maintaining Boundaries

• Office Hours:

  • Establishing specific work hours helps in compartmentalizing work and personal life.
  • Maddie (20:01): "Realizing that I am in the driver's seat... sticking to office hours, making sure my phone goes on the counter..."

• Screen Limits:

  • Implementing screen time restrictions to prevent endless scrolling and overconsumption.
  • Maddie (22:05): "Giving the phone to my partner and putting a screen limit on it..."

Annemie Tonken (09:32): "This is a write-off for the people who are hiring you and it's part of their working budget..."

2. Protecting Personal Time

• Scheduling 'Me Time':
  • Dedicating time for personal activities like exercise, lunch breaks, or socializing with loved ones.
  • Maddie (25:18): "Putting time on my calendar for me. ... things that make me happy is a big deal."

Annemie Tonken (26:02): "It's the same concept as 'Profit First,' but translating that into protecting the sanctity of your time."

3. Reducing Overconsumption

• Limiting Social Media Use:
  • Setting specific times for checking social media to avoid mindless scrolling.
  • Maddie (23:21): "My Instagram is set up to give me like an hour a day and only between certain hours..."

Maddie Peschong (26:54): "Sometimes it's not actually the work stuff that needs to change, it's just making time for the personal things that make work easier."

4. Focusing on Connection and Well-Being

• Engaging in Personal Activities:
  • Activities such as walking, spending time with family, or simply enjoying silence can help reset the mind.
  • Maddie (31:45): "Allowing that just quiet. Because whatever my brain is doing... letting my mind wander helps."

Annemie Tonken (27:09): "Best thing I can do is step away from it. ... taking that space, taking that break, I'm so much more efficient."

Recognizing and Responding to Triggers

Awareness:

• Being vigilant about the early signs of overwhelm allows for timely interventions.
• Maddie (28:21): "I definitely pick up on it faster. ... making sure that I'm working out in the morning and moving my body."

Proactive Measures:

• Adjusting schedules, setting realistic goals, and ensuring personal well-being are crucial.
• Annemie (30:07): "I let my mind run in a thousand directions, but allowing quiet helps process thoughts."

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Annemie Tonken (00:00): "Overwhelm is a vague term, a broad term that blankets a lot of different things."

• Maddie Peschong (15:39): "Am I overwhelmed or am I learning something new? ... Am I overwhelmed or are my expectations totally out of whack?"

• Annemie Tonken (22:11): "I took all of my social media apps off my phone... It adds that layer of intentionality."

• Maddie Peschong (26:54): "Connection with other human beings... making time for the personal things that make work easier."

• Annemie Tonken (27:09): "When I'm overwhelmed, I become extremely inefficient... taking that space, taking that break... more efficient."

Conclusion

The conversation between Annemie Tonken and Maddie Peschong provides valuable insights into the nature of overwhelm and practical strategies to combat it. By setting clear boundaries, protecting personal time, reducing overconsumption, and fostering meaningful connections, photographers can maintain their mental health and sustain their businesses effectively. Maddie's personal anecdotes and actionable advice offer listeners a roadmap to recognize and navigate overwhelm, ensuring long-term success and well-being.

Connect with Maddie Peschong:

• Website: maddiepeschang.com (Download the free shot list: maddiepeschang.com/shot-list)
• Instagram: @maddiepeschang
• Threads: Available on platform

Whether you're looking to start incorporating brand photography into your services or aiming to scale up your existing business, Maddie's programs offer tailored solutions to help you achieve your goals.