Most of us are juggling creative work with other important responsibilities. I love writing and making things, and I also have kids, am completing a degree, and I have my fair share of everyday “life” stuff going on.
Perhaps you have work, studies, people you care for, health issues, or life situations that mean you’re squeezing your creative work into the corners of your day. Or, perhaps your creative work is your full-time job that pays the bills, with all the marketing, admin, and project management that comes with that. Whatever the case might be, know that you are not alone in the challenge to make time for your creative practice and process. Here are a few things I’ve found helpful for making time and space for my creative work, I hope they are helpful for you too:
1. Focus on consistency over quantity
Making five minutes a day for your creative work might be more doable than making 30 minutes once a week (but if 30 minutes once a week is what you’ve got, that’s totally valid too!). You’re far more likely to be able to find smaller amounts of time than large chunks, and you’ll be able to see more consistent progress over time.
2. Set specific goals…
Be clear on what you want to accomplish during your creative time. Break down large projects into small steps. That way, you can dive straight in with less false starts and without spending precious time deciding what to do next.
3. …and embrace slow progress
Social media has distorted our sense of how fast things happen and how quickly we can get results. It can feel like we’re doing something wrong if we’re not making the same kind of progress we see (or seem to see) other people making. But there isn’t a “correct” timeline: you are on your own schedule that is influenced by a number of factors in your life.
Sometimes we can get so focused on all the progress we’re not making, that we overlook the progress we are making. You wanted to finish the sleeve of your knitted jumper, but you only managed a row? That still counts! You wanted to write 1,000 words this evening, but you only did 50? That’s 50 closer to done.
4. Change the way you think about time
This might sound like semantics, but I know I feel more optimistic and in control of my time when I think about it in terms of making time rather than finding it. We usually talk about finding the time to do things (hence the title of this post), but that’s passive. Finding time feels like we’re waiting for permission or the perfect moment (spoiler alert: neither will arrive). Thinking instead about making or creating time puts us in the driver’s seat. It primes us to spot opportunities and openings, rather than hoping that someday they’ll magically appear.
5. Look for opportunities to fill your creative well
Take time to explore new ideas and find inspiration for your creative work. Fill your well with artist dates. You can find 52 ideas for artist dates here, plus a planner in the Becoming Who You Are Library.
6. Collaborate with others
Connecting with other creatives can be a great way to find inspiration and motivation. I’ve done this through projects like group blog posts, my old podcast, and contributing chapters to books, and it was a great way to connect with other people, forge new relationships, and have the chance to share advice from others further along the path. Finding or creating a community of people around you who are on the same or a similar creative path can help you feel less alone and create new opportunities for projects and promotion.
7. Be kind to yourself
Be patient with yourself and your situation. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get as much done as you’d hoped. Keep in mind that progress is progress. Life happens and it’s important to celebrate the small wins as well as the big. If other responsibilities need extra attention and you need to step back from your creative work for a while, that’s fine too. In fact, you never know how taking a break right now might shape your work in the future.
8. Find ways to integrate the things that matter to you
How can you weave your creative work into other areas or aspects of your life? Can you use your commute to listen to podcasts or audiobooks that will develop your craft? Can you invite your family to join you for an art workshop one weekend? Could you start a lunchtime writing club with a co-worker? Doing the things we love alongside honouring other commitments doesn’t have to be an either/or proposition. Thinking of ways to integrate different aspects of our lives gives us the chance to create more room for our creative work and you never know what new opportunities might emerge.
9. Use the “cracks” in your day
I tend to use the “cracks” in my day to work on creative projects: when I’m waiting for something or someone, when I have a moment of quiet, after my kids are asleep (if I can stay awake long enough…), and other “between” times. It might be hard to do focused work during this time, but it’s a good opportunity to do some of the things that don’t require much brain power: research, organising ideas, reviewing projects, replying to emails, jotting down a few ideas for a post or book chapter, and so on. Using these times for important-but-not-urgent tasks means I can use focused periods for deeper work that needs my full attention.
Over to you:
- What small creative win did you have this week, even if it felt tiny?
- What’s one way you can make time for your creative practice this week (instead of waiting to “find” it?)
- What creative tasks can you do in the cracks of your day?
- Where might creative integration be possible within your work, daily routines and family life?
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