lol! i think mostly artists are thought of as free spirits that go where the inspiration takes them…..but what if you have tons of inspiration, but never get to where you are able to do something with it?
what if, all the ideas + daily life things start to overwhelm you…and at the end of the day you don’t get hardly any of your “to-do” list done.
what if, you’re trying to do too much in a day and finding it impossible.
what if, you have big dreams for this year, but can’t even fathom how you will possibly fit in time to work towards them.
well, that’s me!
its all well and good to have a flexible schedule….especially when you’re a mom+wife in addition to being a “full-time artist”….but what happens when someone who needs structure to get things done, no longer has structure.
things….important things….get left undone
for days…
weeks…
months even.
so, here i am realizing that this is ME and i need structure in order to create…or get much of anything done for that matter. and i need to create it myself.
when i worked outside the home, the structure was created for me. i didn’t have to think about it. i got up, got dressed, got myself a coffee when i got to work, then got down to business….and kept my head down and focused on my job and did pretty well at it. now…i’m all loosie goosie! lol! and it just ain’t workin’…
i need habits,
i need routine,
i need prioritization.
so i can just go on autopilot and do what needs to be done and not have to “think” about it. that would free me up to create instead of worrying about all the stuff that hasn’t gotten done {which stops my creativity in its tracks}. i’ve been researching this over the past week and here’s some helpful links i’ve found.
How Mundane Routines Produce Creative Magic
Habits and Routines Help Get Your To-Do List Done
Daily Work Routine of an Artist
So….how about you? Let’s work together on this {i know there are others out there struggling with this very same thing}….have you found anything that helps you?
Do you have a daily routine that helps you create, get housework done, exercise daily, etc.?
Do you have a way to help you prioritize those “most important things” that must happen?
What are the most important triggers for your creative state of mind?
What happens to your ability to get things done if your routine is interrupted?
What helps you to commit to your routine?
Leave a Reply
14 Responses to an artist with time management issues???? you don’t say!
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Susie Monday says:
Focus, focus, focus. It’s really all about Intention for me. I try to set that intention at the beginning of each week, each day, each task, each event.
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Me too Paulette, this couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m just now coming to a place where I know I need structure everyday and now my studio is finished I’m ready for it! Blessings to you and thanks for posting those links, very helpful. Niki xx
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This is me too! A long crazy list of things to do or ideas to get started on- that becomes overwhelming – then I freeze and get nothing done! Then repeat! I am trying to get more routine in the day to day. When my little guy is down for a nap, I am trying to carve out painting time BEFORE I sit down in front of the computer. It can suck me in!! Chores? I have divided those up, so each day I do a little bit and I can stay on top of it. Sunday is all about church & family.
Thank you for this post Paulette! -
Aimee Joy Nelson says:
Hi Paulette! I’m going to check out those links because I need to learn time management as much as you if not more!
Also, it was great chatting with you today! -
Hi Paulette! Thanks for taking the time to post on such a universal topic for many of us career women/wives/moms who often feel just the same as you describe here! As a full-time teacher with loads of planning/grading to do in the evenings at home, as well as family obligations to meet, I never feel I have enough time to create my art. I made a New Year’s Resolution to create more often in a journal–and I’m thrilled to say I’ve done a surprisingly good job of keeping it–but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel overwhelmed. It helps to hear others struggling with the same time constraints and management issues!
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Allison Graham says:
I am going to check out your links too. I have the same problem. I can’t figure out what makes some days more productive than others. One thing that seems to help is not to get sucked in to this computer. It’s seems I work way better with a routine and the more I have to do the more I’ll get done. Time management has always been a problem. I have ADD too so I am always hopping from on thing to another but not completing anything. UGHHH!
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LindieLee says:
10am -2pm at least four days a week I’m at my art table. I need a schedule and assignments to keep me focused so I’ve joined, Life Book Workshop, a year long art workshop, and thus far I’m keeping up.
If a lesson is too simplistic or not to my liking I change it up. However for me that means pondering, planning and researching but the time limit of two weeks per assignment keeps me disciplined.The kitchen timer is my friend and a daily tool. 10 minutes per room for general pick up with a basket at the doorway for anything that doesn’t belong in that room.
I dedicate three hours a day minimum to “house business/cleaning “etc..). Fly Lady . com has been a fabulous help to me over the years.4pm I try to have “Tea Time” – a self imposed “REST” of 15 – 30 minutes for snack, prayer or just being still before I gear up again for my evening and dinner routeen.
This year my goal is to do more art than to look others art, videos, tutorials, flickr etc..
I clean my art table at 3pm to have a clean welcoming space for the next day.
Ah, it’s 10am – Time for ART — Yahoo! -
But does organization cramp creativity? Does prioritizing cripple spontaneity? Is time management an oxymoron? I have come to accept myself and all the slight imperfections.
The only resolution I have been doing (and that’s because it affects my health) is I have a ‘real’ job of transcribing. Because I love creating much more I tend to put my ‘real’ job on the back burner and end up staying up much too late doing the least liked thing on my to do list. So I am making a conscious effort to do my ‘real’ job interspersed throughout my day. I reward myself for ‘working’ with moments of creating.
Another thing which has made my recent days much more productive is finishing a project before I move on.
I’m the type that will be working on one thing and while walking to another room stop and start on another. I am making the conscious decision to complete one thing before moving onto another.
I love my haphazard life and in reality wouldn’t want it any other way. It would take too much thinking to be any other way.
But as a side note – I do not have children in the house. Only grand-daughters on request. I’m sure that definitely helps.
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Carol said:
But does organization cramp creativity? Nope it releases me to flow in creativity.Does prioritizing cripple spontaneity? Nah. I’m much more productive when I “make time” for my art table and give myself an artist date .
Is time management an oxymoron? Not for me. When my time is managed I’m focused and much more gets done because of it , as far as business, running the home or creative persecutes.
Different strokes for different folks, I can be extremely obsessive compulsive about cleaning or art or anything and if that is in operation I exhausted all my energies on one thing while other things pile up. If stuff piles up, I get overwhelmed then incapacitated (stuck).
If I’m not disciplined it seams that nothing get’s done and I don’t have a sense of accomplishment because of it.
Like I said, different strokes for different folks. -
Hi Paulette!
Thanks so much for linking to my post on Habits & Routines. It’s great to have found your beautiful work and blog because of it!
The overwhelm of too many things to do (many that have to be done & so many more, like you, that I want to do) is something that I’m still grappling with.
Time management (and organization in general!) don’t come naturally to me either, but I definitely agree with you and with your other readers that routine and structure are what allows the freedom and space to create.
I love Lindi-Lee’s ideas here. The discipline of routine seems to be working really well there. Myself, I need to work on not being so distractable in order to stick to my routines!!! -
It’s sticking to the routine that’s the stickler for me. I can come up with great plans that look wonderful on paper, but I can’t remain disciplined and focused enough to stick to them for very long! The more time I have on my hands, the less I can seem to accomplish. The more time constraints and pressure, the more I can create! I am a stay at home mom, and have plenty of time compared to most, but just can’t seem to pull it all together! Someone mentioned Flylady.Com, I’ve seen that site before and it has a wealth of information and helpful advice on this topic. Now if I could just follow it! Glad to know I’m not the only one who feels that way! I even own at least 4 or 5 books on organizing and time management that I’ve collected over the years, and I don’t think I’ve read all the way through a single one…but there they are sitting on my book shelf, lol!
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I am going through the same thing too Paulette! I have a bit more of a complication since I am ADHD so it definately interferes with my sense of time…or lack of it! My sister who is much better with time management brought up to me to set deadlines and have a weekly meeting…she used to be a store manager and knows the importance of doing those things to run a store…lol! I realized that was my problem…I am sooo full of ideas and projects but never once thought to set a deadline for myself…so as she said I am running on and on and on…going nowhere! She has agreed to help me with this…which is cool but I also feel it may be helpful to have a greater support system for this…as not to only rely on a few people but maybe a small group of us artists struggling with moving forward with our talent instead of being stuck!
Well that is me too! So your not alone. I am on the same page as you…Paulette. Now I am finding it even harder with home schooling Rae . I am gonna go and check out these links. Maybe we can help each other. After being a stay at home mom for 23 years, always working as an artist on the side. It is hard to prioritize, I keep thinking it’s my turn to really treat my art like a business with the two oldest boys in college and two teenage girls at home with very busy schedules. Here I thought It was gonna be easier as the nest started to empty. ??????
I kinda feel like we are kinda kindred spirits only I am lots older. Not to sound creepy or stalker like. I just love your art and your heart for God. If it’s not my families needs first then it seems to be my health. Any how I hope we can help each other. You inspire me with all your technical video skills and teaching…You seem to be doing it all. <3 Deborah