Overcome Procrastination - Time Management Tips for Artists
For many artists the words “time management” sounds restrictive, corporate, un-creative and so lacking in any understanding of what you as an artist actually do. Yet, somehow you feel overwhelmed because there’s just so much to do.
You ask yourself if you’re really creating as much as you should be, if your art might get more traction if you had more time to work on it or if there’s a way to feel less burnt out at the end of the day. If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions you’re definitely not alone. Managing expectations, structuring your daily life around regular art-time and feeling satisfied with these choices are struggles for many artists.
Fortunately, you can use your creative brain to figure all this out and this article aims to get you started by offering tips and strategies you can use to manage your time effectively as a creative person.
1 – SET GOALS
If you’re anything like me, you probably have dozens of ideas running through your mind at any given moment with all of them desperate for your attention. As a result, it can be a struggle to rein in that creative energy and turn it into something constructive.
It's for this reason that I highly recommend having a list of goals, tasks or ideas to help keep you focused and moving forward on your art journey. Maybe you want to master hyperrealism or perhaps you want to branch into a new medium or maybe it's your dream to work as a full-time professional artist. Whatever your goals are or whatever ideas you may have, write them down or sketch them out in your sketchbook. Once you can see your goals in front of you, it becomes a starting point in learning how to manage your time effectively.
2 – CREATE ACTION PLANS
Once you’ve identified your goals, start coming up with realistic timelines for you to complete them. Don’t give yourself so little time that it’s impossible or nearly impossible for you to meet the deadlines, you’ll only end up stressing yourself out to fail. Be reasonable with yourself and create manageable timelines.
If your goal seems too grand to achieve and you have no idea how long it will take or where to even start, try breaking it down into smaller fragments. If your goal will likely take many years to complete, ask yourself where you want to be in six months, a year, maybe two years from your starting point and then imagine what that future version of yourself would've done to get there; find out what you need to do now in order to be where you want to be. Learn from others in the positions you want to be in, if there is an artist you really admire, learn from them and find out what they’re doing or if they have any tips or tricks they can offer.
Big goals take time so it helps to break it down and tackle it one day at a time. The most important thing is to act on your goals and to keep showing up. The main reason most people fail to achieve their goals is because they lack consistency. It took Michelangelo four years to paint the Sistine Chapel; granted he didn’t want to do it but still, he showed up everyday for four years doing something he resented and now it’s considered one of the most famous works of art in the world to this day. Keep going!
If you find yourself struggling to remain consistent, stop and ask yourself throughout the day if what you’re doing in the moment is bringing you closer or helping you to achieve your goal. This is an easy way to identify daily tasks and routines that may be distracting you from your goals and will help keep you on your path to success.
3 – PRIORITIZE
“You have time to do anything, but not everything.” -David Allen, Author
You MUST learn to prioritize. Fortunately there's enough time to do anything you want to, but the time you have for what you want to do is limited. This is why prioritizing your time is essential. In order to succeed it’s important to identify which goals are most important to you and which ones can wait. This can be a difficult thing to do, but it’s the line in the sand between accomplishing your goals and burning yourself out.
If you find yourself struggling to identify which goals you should prioritize, there is a great article about the Eisenhower Decision Matrix that’s well worth the read if you need an easy system to help you prioritize.
4 – HAVE A TO-DO LIST
No need to reinvent the wheel. If you have a lot of goals or ideas - which, if you're creative I'm sure you do- you'll need a way to keep track of your tasks along with everything else that has to be done in your life and honestly, the best way I have found to do this is to have a to-do list.
5 – SCHEDULE TASKS
Start using your calendar and think of it as your new manager. Schedule blocks of time each day that you can dedicate to completing specific goals or tasks and stick to it. It’s easy to tell yourself you’re going to block out time for a specific project or chore but make sure you actually hold yourself accountable and stick to it.
I find it’s easier to follow a schedule if you make your schedule work for you and not the other way around. If you’re a night owl, adjust your schedule so that you’re more productive in the evening and at night and vice versa if you’re an early bird. Don’t set yourself up for failure, keep things as easy and simple as possible.
TIME MANAGEMENT TRICKS, TECHNIQUES AND HACKS
Above, we spoke about the main time management strategies that govern all your productivity. But now I want to go over a few other productivity hacks that will help you beat procrastination and make your work time even more valuable.
6 – THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE
This is a great technique to help with procrastination that I find perfect for when you have a mammoth task ahead like a deadline for a large commission but can’t seem to get started because you’re overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the project.
All you have to do is commit to working for 25 minutes, 5-minute break and then you work for another 25 minutes. It sounds ridiculously simple, but convincing yourself to work for a mere 25 minutes is actually quite easy, especially with the lure of a break!
7 – MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS
This one is pretty obvious I know, but it’s something many of us are guilty of, myself included.
Try to keep your studio space as distraction free as possible, whatever triggers you or distracts you from your work, take the time to rid your workspace of your distractions, whether it’s mess, the TV blaring or your dog barking at that squirrel outside for the hundredth time. Address any issues and your productivity will increase.
8 – JUST FOCUS ON STARTING
Avoid getting wrapped up in the details and focus on starting, then do the next inch, and the next inch. Don’t look ahead and see the whole big project, just focus on the next tiny, weeny step you have to take.
9 – EAT THE FROG
Obviously I’m not suggesting you actually eat a frog, but in the realm of time management “eat the frog” means completing the worst or biggest job first.
If there is a task you're dreading or it’s just big and chunky, do it first and get it off your plate. I promise you will feel much better having it out of the way and often it gives you the momentum to help power through the rest of your to-dos.
10 – DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT
It’s time to throw your perfectionism out the window; as a control freak and also recovering perfectionist I know how hard this can be. It’s easy to zero in on and become obsessed with details especially if you can’t see past a mistake you made. Trust me when I say that quantity over quality is what will help you grow as an artist especially in the world of social media.
Instead of trying to make something perfect, focus instead on finishing whatever project or goal you are working on. A finished, imperfect piece of art is better than two unfinished perfect pieces so don’t be so hard on yourself, perfection is an illusion. Try to let go and relax a bit, you’ll notice you’ll have more fun this way which will help motivate you to finish whatever project or goal you are working on.
There you have it, ten time management strategies and tips you can start using today that will help you manage your time effectively and help you rid yourself of the procrastination bug. Hopefully you found this list helpful, follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for more creative focused information like this article.