How to Manage Creative Time

Full-time artists can end up with too much time on their hands. Part-time artists frequently try to fit too much into the spare moments they have. Both of these situations can lead to procrastination, frustration and a lack of productivity. The happy medium lies in being able to balance organization with creativity to make the most of your time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Create a working space.
   
   Not just a space to work in, but one that works for you. Having a clean desk or a chair kept in good repair may not seem like an obvious time management skill, but working tools and supplies will not take up valuable time being fixed and fiddled with. A tidy desk and an organized closet means you can get to work more quickly than if you have to search for the right pencil or pot of paint.
2. Surround yourself with inspiration.
   
   Aside from making your space more cheerful, art leads to art, so keeping it around is bound to help you achieve your own goals. Once again, an organized reference library and instructive texts saves you time by being able to find what you are looking for when you need it--not two days later when the muse has passed and your frustration level has cast a pall on the project.
3. Determine your most creative time.
   
   Keep a small notebook in your purse or pocket to jot down ideas as they come, also when and where they occur. You'll begin to see a pattern: most of your ideas come at a particular time of the day or week; set this time aside to work. Also note when you find yourself craving a break or if there are certain days that you just can't make anything happen. Factor those in as your “weekends” off, even if they fall on non-consecutive weekdays instead.
4. Work with your schedule as much as possible.
   
   Sometimes ideas come at inopportune times (at work or during school, for instance); see if there are ways you can schedule your lunch break early or late to take advantage of the muse, or try not to schedule a class during that block of time next semester. When you have to work away from your usual studio space, pack a basic art kit so you can seize whatever creative moment comes your way. Even being able to do concept sketches of larger works can help move you forward.
5. Eliminate distractions.
   
   When you work from home--even part time--the biggest hurdle seems to be convincing others not to just walk into your space or call for non-work reasons. Letting your friends and family know your work hours (and enforcing them) may take time, but it will be worth it. Turn off the television, shut down the email program and let the calls go to voice mail for a couple of hours in order to devote some time to your creative goals.
6. Set goals.
   
   Though your muse may visit from time to time with divine inspiration in her grasp, it is equally important to have your own ideas and set them out as goals to be worked towards. Having goals, both large and small, long- and short-term, gives you a direction for those times when mad inspiration does not strike, yet the need to create prevails.

Tips & Warnings

• Do a little something creative every day to keep yourself involved in your projects.
• Don't get hung up on needing large blocks of time; even fifteen minutes here and there is sufficient to start on or continue a project.