Hey Friends! With the New Year right around the corner, this is the time we start planning for the year ahead—yes, even while we’re still deep in fall wedding season here in Richmond. As photographers, we know how easy it is to roll straight from one busy season into the next without ever taking a breath to plan what’s coming. That’s why we created a simple system using our Yearly Calendar and Quarterly Planner—a process we’ve been using for years to help us start every season with clarity and intention. Whether you’re mapping out your bookings, planning time off, or auditing your business goals, this step-by-step guide (and our annual calendar free download!) will help you build a year that actually supports both your business and your life.

What’s Inside the Annual Calendar Free Download

• Printable annual calendar and the best ways to use it
• Large-format Quarterly Planner with tips to make it work for you
• Sample ChatGPT prompt to plan your own business retreat
• The Workflow Library preview

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Do a Mini Business Retreat

• Block 1–2 focused days (or one full day) away from your normal space.
• Use the included ChatGPT prompt to:
  • Create a detailed agenda (check-in, focus blocks, breaks, dinner discussion cards).
  • Add both business topics and personal/family planning prompts.
  • Pre-select restaurants/locations to reduce decision fatigue.
• Goals for the retreat:
  • Review last year’s wins/gaps (quick Business Audit).
  • Define this year’s big outcomes (revenue, bookings, time off, offers).
  • Decide your non-negotiables (family weeks, recovery days, major holidays).

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Build Your Annual Calendar

1. Add known commitments first
   • Weddings + Sessions you’ve already booked
   • Launches, promotions, or travel dates
   • Family time or vacations you want to protect early
   • Education, retreats, or creative projects you want to make space for
2. Add strategic days off
   • Recovery days after weddings/double-headers.
   • block off days on either side of holidays
   • Editing or office catch-up blocks
3. Pre-map available dates
   • Mark potential portrait session dates you can offer instantly.
   • Place sticky notes for “unscheduled but expected” shoots (e.g., spring engagements, newborns).
4. Layer key business moments
   • Mini-session windows
   • Album/print sales pushes
5. Schedule quarterly plan days.
   • Put down the day you will talk through Q2, Q3, and Q4.

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Color-Code for Instant Clarity

• One color per category:
  • Weddings, sessions, personal, vacations, office days, sales windows, holidays.
• Make the legend obvious on the print.
• Aim to see “at a glance” whether a week can handle more work or needs protection.

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Talk through a Quarterly Plan (Your 90-Day “Mini Year”)

1. Look back at last Quarter and Audit
   • What finished? What rolled forward? What’s stuck and why?
2. Define your top 3 priorities for the next 90 days
   • These could be the next step in a long term goal, or a jumping off place for a new one.
3. Map actions and deadlines
   • Who/what/when; put milestones right on the quarterly board.
   • Add any prep tasks to the month before big pushes (e.g., mini-session promo assets).
4. Remove or simplify if needbe
   • Decide what you’ll pause to create space for your 3 priorities.
5. Schedule the next Quarterly Planner session now
   • Treat each quarter as a fresh 12-week year.

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Put it in practice – Annual Calendar Free Download

• Print the annual calendar and hang it where you work daily.
• Frame the quarterly planner. We use wet-erase markers to write on it each quarter.
• Add Quarterly Plan as recurring calendar events 4x/year.

If you’ve ever found yourself feeling like your business is running your life instead of the other way around, this is your sign to start building systems that make your days easier. Our Yearly Calendar and Quarterly Planner are just one piece of the puzzle, just part of our Workflow Library.

We’ve pulled together all the tools, templates, and behind-the-scenes systems we use to keep our photography business running smoothly. From email templates and planning checklists to real examples from our own workflows, it’s everything we wish we had when we started. And the best part? You’ll get direct access to us. Voice message us anytime you’re stuck, and we’ll help you work through it in real time! If you’d like more information about the workflow library, get the freebie below, and be the first to know when it’s released.

ANNUAL CALENDAR FREE DOWNLOAD

Looking for other business tips? Check out ways to avoid overwhelm in your business.