When you’re booking our podcast studio, meeting room, or photo studio, you may be left with more spare time than you expected. Maybe your guest is running late, or you’ve wrapped up earlier than expected, or you booked a longer session just in case and ended up not needing all the time.
Of course you could leave early, doom scroll, or grab a drink while you’re waiting to get started, but if you’re looking for something a little more productive, maybe one of the ideas below will work for you.
You may also be interested in this post: 10 tips for for beating no-shows
1. Record some behind-the-scenes
Aim for a mix of close ups of props or equipment, and panning or zoomed out shots or footage. You can switch things up further by including yourself in some of the shots and doing flatlays for others. Even if you don’t need them right now, they will likely come in handy for something in the future.
2. Publish content to Instagram or Tiktok
Instead of taking a photo or footage and waiting until later (or forgetting) to publish it, commit to the whole process and get something out there before leaving the room.
It doesn’t have to be polished to perfection – a quick selfie or studio snap, or a thought of the day based on an aaffirmation card is another post down and another thing off your list.
3. Organise your files
It’s not the most exciting job in the world, but taking some time to organise your files and folders – especially if it’s something you’ve been putting off! – can save you hassle later. If it feels like too much to start doing right now, try deleting those 25 identical pics of your dinner (no judgment!) and then just keep scrolling and picking out photos to delete.
4. Shoot an intro
Briefly talk through your main content, or take photos to capture the look and feel. Handy to have for extra/different social media content, or for teasers about upcoming projects. If you’ve forgotten to add a call to action or say/list your business name, website, or social handles, this can be a great reminder!
5. Do a quick retro
If you’re wrapping up after a session, running a Retrospective – where you reflect on what went well and what you could improve next time – can work really well as a debrief. You could do this just on your own, with your team, or with your guest or client. This can be
6. Record a testimonial or review
Grab a couple of minutes of footage of your client saying what they enjoyed about the session and how they see it benefiting them. People often forget to leave reviews after the fact, and a video testimonial is very powerful. If you’re a photographer, you could get their permission to use a quote along with a photo, and if you’re a writer, you could dictate or record a couple of sentences to use as text.
7. Create or update your to do list
What are your next steps for editing, promoting, and so on? Make a list or some notes before you forget your plan. This is also a good time to write down any reminders about certain points in your video you want to cut or revisit, any equipment or accessories that you need to look at, or any feedback your client has had from the session.
So next time you find yourself with a few unexpected minutes, don’t let them go to waste. Whether you’re capturing behind-the-scenes content, organising your digital files, or even recording a quick testimonial, these seven ideas can help you make the most of your booking and boost your productivity. Even small tasks can add up, so make all your time count!