Redefine Busy: Delayed gratification

You often make decisions in the moment for the immediate gratification. Often though, that short-term pleasure will lead to long-term pain.

If you’ve ever dieted, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Even though you know you shouldn’t eat that bowl of ice cream, the short-term pleasure associated with it often wins. But once you’re done the ice cream and you can look back at it, you regret it. The pleasure has come and gone, and now all you’re left with is the pain.

Don’t feel bad about this though; it’s completely natural. You’re hard-wired this way. It’s called the Pleasure Principle, which was named so by Sigmund Freud, a very famous neurologist.

The Pleasure Principle states that you instinctually seek pleasure and avoid pain in order to satisfy your basic biological and psychological needs.

Why am I talking about all this here, though? SproutingPhotographer.com is all about the business of photography, this seems pretty “deep”, doesn’t it?

Well … this is another instalment in the Redefine Busy Movement series, where we’re working together towards creating more margin in our lives. We’re gaining control and taking ownership of our time. If you want to get more balance in your life in this “anti-busy” movement, you must first acknowledge “busy” as a habit.

Therefore, if you want to redefine busy, then you need to redefine your habits. And the Pleasure Principle is one of the driving forces behind your habits.

The “busy” habits

Choosing short-term pleasure when you’re in-the-moment is likely what’s lead you down the path of busy.

Let’s look at a few example “busy” habits and explore what I mean.

  • You obsessively check your phone for new emails. This is a habit that has great short-term pleasure; your brain literally gets a hit of dopamine (the happiness chemical) when you receive an email. But there is long-term pain that you may not consider, such as phone addiction, not being available and present with your family, not living in the moment, always looking for the next email, and so on.
  • You let yourself get distracted by watching videos online. This is a habit that gives you short-term pleasure; you enjoy watching the video. But there is long-term pain that you may not consider, such as distraction and procrastination. Plus, this unproductive time adds up to a lot of hours wasted over time.
  • You procrastinate doing that one big task you need to do, and do the smaller, less meaningful tasks that you want to do. This is a habit that gives you the short-term pleasure of doing what you want to do, which is normally also what you like to do. But there is the long-term pain in that your real to-do list ends up piling up. You either get stressed about doing it, or you end up dropping the ball and not getting those things done that you really should be getting done.
  • You get sucked in to busy work and putting out fires. Busy work and being in “reaction mode” has great short-term pleasure, because you feel like you are getting things done. But there is long-term pain because this is just a form of procrastination, meaning you end up not being able to do the things you really should be doing. You never really get to move the needle.

These are just a few examples of “busy” habits – there are hundreds more.

When you’re really honest, can you see where your “busy” habits lead you? They may feel good in the moment, but they have negative long-term consequences that you may not think about.

In the last article of the Redefine Busy series, we spoke about becoming aware of our habits. Hopefully now you’re noticing them and bringing them to the forefront of your consciousness. The question now is – what do you do about them once you are aware of them?

The principle of Delayed Gratification

What do you do in the moment when you catch yourself about to impulsively indulge in a “busy” habit?

The principle Delayed Gratification gives us the answer. Dr. Bernardo Carducci, a professor of psychology at Indiana University, defined delayed gratification as:

Delayed Gratification: The ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward and wait for a later reward. Generally, delayed gratification is associated with resisting a smaller but more immediate reward in order to receive a larger or more enduring reward later.

Children don’t have the skillset of delayed gratification. They usually don’t take into consideration the negative repercussions of their actions. They act in the moment, seeking only immediate pleasure, without any care or worry for the the consequences or the obvious pain that may be associated with their decisions.

As we mature though, we learn the skills of patience, will-power and foresight, and so we consider the ramifications of the actions we take. As we mature, we learn delayed gratification.

You aren’t a child; act with consideration

Once we gain awareness of our actions and look at their long-term effects, we can make smarter, short-term decisions.

That usually means forgoing the short-term pleasure or the immediate gratification. But we understand it’s worth the trade-off, because the long-term pleasure is far greater.

Let’s shine the spotlight back on the “busy” habits, and think about the long-term effects.

Who would you be if you were free of the lie of busy? How would you feel if you weren’t a slave to your business any more? What would it be like if you weren’t glued to your computer all the time? How would you show up to your family and friends if you weren’t constantly checking your phone?

If you eliminated your “busy” habits and freed yourself of the “busy” mindset, would you be happier? Would you be more creative? Would you feel more fulfilled? Would you feel like you’re being a better version of yourself?

Well … that is who you could be if you escaped the lie of busy. It’s who you would be if you redefined busy.

Isn’t the long-term pleasure of being that person desirable for you?

That’s the image you need to keep in mind when you catch yourself in a “busy” mindset. When you trigger a “busy” habit for the immediate pleasure, think about the longer-term, more fulfilling pleasure of being free of busy.

Practice the art of delayed gratification; forfeit the short-term dopamine rush and think about the long-term happiness you’ll have instead. Train your consciousness to interrupt your “busy” habits before you engage them.

In the next article, we’ll be getting into some of the tactics that you can deploy to be more effective with how you use your time

Written by <br>Bryan Caporicci
Written by
Bryan Caporicci

Bryan Caporicci is an award-winning wedding and portrait photographer based out of Fonthill, Canada. In 2014, he was awarded his Masters of Photographic Arts (MPA) designation by the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC), making him one of the youngest Canadian photographers to receive this level of achievement.

Bryan has been leading and educating photographers on the "business side" of photography for the last 12+ years. He is the author of 'Pricing for Profit' and the host of the 'Business of Photography podcast. He teaches at workshops across North America, including industry-leading conventions and conferences such as WPPI, Shutterfest and Canada Photo Convention. Bryan is also the CEO and Founder of Sprout Studio.

Written by <br>Bryan Caporicci
Written by
Bryan Caporicci

Bryan Caporicci is an award-winning wedding and portrait photographer based out of Fonthill, Canada. In 2014, he was awarded his Masters of Photographic Arts (MPA) designation by the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC), making him one of the youngest Canadian photographers to receive this level of achievement.

Bryan has been leading and educating photographers on the "business side" of photography for the last 12+ years. He is the author of 'Pricing for Profit' and the host of the 'Business of Photography podcast. He teaches at workshops across North America, including industry-leading conventions and conferences such as WPPI, Shutterfest and Canada Photo Convention. Bryan is also the CEO and Founder of Sprout Studio.

SEEDS TO SUCCESS

Weekly actionable business tips for photographers

Workflows

Sick of drowning in admin tasks?

admin tasks

Sick of drowning in admin tasks?

reports & analytics

Time to stop guessing and start growing.

galleries

Elevate your photography with stunning galleries.

ambassadors

Earn as a photography ambassador.

scheduler

Streamline your photography schedule.

INDUSTRY REPORT

The Photographer's 2024 Industry Report. Out now.

SPROUT AI

Create questionnaires for clients in seconds.

SPROUT AI

Stop wasting your time writing emails.

Sprout AI: Questionnaires

Create questionnaires for clients in seconds.

Effortlessly design tailored client questionnaires with Sprout AI, the world’s first AI questionnaire builder for photographers. Say goodbye to the hours spent drafting and revising what to say – transform your client interactions now!

Sprout AI: EMAILS

Stop wasting your time writing emails.

Elevate your communication game with Sprout AI. Craft compelling emails in your unique brand voice, effortlessly and efficiently! With a click of a button, you can spend more time doing what you love – photography.

INDUSTRY REPORT

The Photographer's 2024 Industry Report. Out now.

We sent out a survey to thousands of professional photographers to better understand how the first half of 2023 was looking for them and what they were thinking about, worried about and excited about moving into 2024. See what they had to say.

2024 Industry Report print out for Professional Photographers
SEEDS TO SUCCESS

Weekly actionable business tips for photographers

Success in photography is 80% business and 20% photography. Easier said than done, right? It’s ok – you just haven’t had the right systems, habits and strategies. That’s about to change. Join Seeds to Success and every Thursday morning, I’ll email you with 1 specific business tip to help you move the needle in your business.

Workflows

Sick of drowning in admin tasks?

Photographers, don’t let admin tasks dim your creativity. Sprout Studio’s automation and customizable workflows can set you free. Let Sprout Studio take care of the heavy lifting. Sign up for our free trial and rediscover the joy of photography.

Sprout Studio Professional Photography All-in-one CRM
ADMIN TASKS

Sick of drowning in admin tasks?

Photographers, don’t let admin tasks dim your creativity. Sprout Studio’s automation and customizable workflows can set you free. Let Sprout Studio take care of the heavy lifting. Sign up for our free trial and rediscover the joy of photography.

Sprout Studio Professional Photography CRM
Reports & Analytics

Time to stop guessing and start growing.

Sprout Studio’s analytics, email marketing, and automation can elevate your photography business. Sign up for our free trial and take the first step towards success.

Sprout Studio Professional Photography Business Insights
Galleries

Elevate your photography with stunning galleries.

Present your work in the best light with our advanced gallery software. Showcase your creativity and connect with your audience like never before. Experience the power of visual storytelling today.

Sprout Studio Professional Photography Proofing Galleries
Scheduler

Streamline your photography schedule.

Tired of juggling appointments and bookings? Our scheduler features are designed to simplify your life. Spend less time managing schedules and more time capturing moments. Try our scheduler today and take control of your time.

Sprout Studio Professional Photography Scheduler
Ambassadors

Spread the love and earn as a photography ambassador.

Calling all photographers! Want to turn your passion into earnings? Join our ambassador program and share your love for photography. Not only do you get to be a part of an inspiring community, but you also have the chance to make money doing what you love.

Sprout Studio Professional Photography Client Portal
Share this article
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Related Posts

14-days of awesomeness, on us!

14-days of awesomeness, on us!

#1 SIGNUP
#2 CONFIRMATION

Let's create your free trial account

Sprout users make double the money and get back 28 hours each week. See the difference for yourself…

Already have an account? Log in

This site is protected by SSL. Privacy policy and terms of service apply.

#1 SIGNUP
#2 CONFIRMATION
Black Friday Exclusive

Let's create your free trial account

And during Black Friday week, sign up for an annual plan and save 25%. Learn more.

Already have an account? Log in

This site is protected by SSL. Privacy policy and terms of service apply.

See how Sprout looks and feels

Book a complimentary 1-on-1 demo call with our team or watch a pre-recorded demo now!

Select “Sprout Studio Demo Call” to start.

Prefer not to wait?

#1 WELCOME
#2 SIGN-UP
#3 CONFIRMATION

Save 20% with your friend's coupon!

Hey there! When you sign-up now, you receive 20% off all annual and monthly plans in Sprout Studio – a studio management suite built for photographers by photographers.

With Sprout Studio, you can stay organized, give your clients a seamless experience, get more done, and now SAVE BIG because of your friend!

Get started

or

Already have an account? Log in

This site is protected by SSL. Privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Step 1 of 8