One of THE hardest parts of being a creative human (which I firmly believe every person actually is!) is carving out the time to indulge in our creative practices. Notice I called it creative "practice" and not creative "masterful perfect execution". This is because creating should always be thought of as practice with the goal of keeping it light, keeping it fun, not trying to be perfect. Because guess what? Nothing is ever perfect! So let's let go of that notion of perfection and just MAKE SOMETHING!
This is actually the secret step 1 to finding time to make art. It's getting over this invisible mental barrier a lot of us build in our heads that keep us from sitting down to create. But we instead claim "ugh I just don't have time!"
Now to be clear, this post is written as much for you as it is for me. Because I struggle with this. I often sit down to create and get stuck or give up before I even start because I have this nagging underlying vibe that whatever I make better have an end game… it better be good enough that it has some purpose in the world and so that I can show it to other humans without feeling embarrassed. Even though I KNOW and wholeheartedly believe that the best work comes when we're able to let go of that idea of perfection and trying to figure out the "purpose" for the thing we're making and just MAKE! Make anything… make LOTS of anythings. This is where the best stuff emerges. When we simply let go and let flow. Whoa ok I'm totally trademarking that phrase… that one just came out as I'm typing and I LOVE it! Let's embrace that ok? "Let go…and let flow". BOOM!
Right ok. Sorry. I got completely sidetracked. So now we know we need to just make the art. But how do we find the time? I have 3 clear steps to help. The idea is to start small with the goal of creating a daily habit of working on your craft. All you need is 10 minutes a day!
Below are your steps to help you carve out little pockets of time to dip your crafty little piggies into the pool of creative awesomeness. Allowing these small moments of creation will feed your soul AND help you to hone your craft over time. So let's dive in!
Step 1: Choose YOUR Creative Corner
Establish a place where you intend to create and dedicate that space to your future creative endeavors. This will be your creative crafting corner, even if it is quite literally a teeny tiny corner somewhere in your home. Ideally it's a space you can dedicate to your creativity and leave it set up as such. If that's the case, you can add some inspiring touches to your corner. Maybe there's a piece of art you love that you can pin to the wall, a special decoration that makes your heart sing, a plant that feels homey and grounding…whatever inspires you! This helps claim the space as your own and remind you that in this space, we create.
Now I'm a realist and I know that in reality maybe you truly have no place to "claim" as yours other than at the end of your kitchen table that is currently buried beneath piles of your kids' papers, the dog's leash, 32 different drinking vessels, mail you have yet to go through and your husband's protein shake blender bottle (that seems to show up EVERYWHERE no matter how many times you wash it and put it away!!!…no?? just me?). If that's the case, all good!! We can make the corner of that cluttered kitchen table work! We will simply put our blinders on and push the items aside when it comes time to create. Your creative corner does NOT need to be Instagram perfect. It just needs to be a surface you can put your stuff on and create. No one else ever needs to see it. Just determine where you are going to work and stick to it each day.
Step 2: Set Up Your Supply Tool Kit
How do you like to create? Are you a painter? Do you draw? Do you create on an iPad? Whatever supplies you need, gather them. If your creative corner from step 1 is a space that you can leave set up as yours all day, then you will place your supplies into your creative corner all set up so that they are READY to go! All you will have to do is show up to your corner and everything is ready. No time wasted running around gathering supplies and finding things.
If instead you have chosen a space that has other uses throughout the day (such as the cluttered kitchen table), then we are going to create a supply tool kit that has everything you need ready to grab and go.
This way when it's time to create, you know where you're going (your pre-determined creative corner) and your supplies are all in one place ready to grab and go!
Having this low barrier to entry is HUGE to actually creating! If your supplies are all over the place, and you're not really sure where you're going to set up, you waste so much time getting situated, that often nothing ever ends up getting made! I know for myself, before I had my supplies organized, I used to often quit before I even started.
Step 3: The 10-Minute Timer
The final key to success here is making it low pressure and low time commitment. Once you have your supplies out in your creative corner, put the phone and all distractions away and start a 10 minute timer. Commit to creating undistracted for that 10 minutes and do it each day if possible. Even if you only get 3 lines down on some paper, it's better than nothing! The next day, when your time slot arrives, build on what you started the day before. The key is to make this a daily ritual with a low barrier to entry so that you actually DO IT! Consistency is key to anything! Just show up and commit to your 10 mins a day.
Anyone can find a 10 minute pocket to dedicate. Maybe it's right after you've put the kids to bed. Maybe you set your alarm clock 10 mins earlier than usual and get up and go right to your creative corner. The idea is to make the set up as easy and at the ready as possible so that it feels seamless to jump right into creating.
Let's say you decided you will set up a folding table in front of the couch for your creative corner, and your time slot will be first thing when you wake up. Maybe before going to bed each night, you set up that folding table and roll your cart of supplies out next to it so that when you wake up, you can jump right in.
Or maybe you're going to work at night after the kids are asleep but you truly only have 10 mins you can possibly give and it takes 5 mins to clear the corner of the kitchen table and pull out your art supply tote. No problem! Once you're set up, set the timer for 5 mins instead. Any time spent creating is a win so treat it as such! When you build the habit, it will grow.
And remember my long tangent at the start of this post? Let go of the idea of perfection and just MAKE SOMETHING. Anything! Have FUN with this!!! Over time, you will be amazed at how you will grow, how you will hone your craft, and all the amazing art you create by having dedicated time to building this habit.
Do you have any other cool tricks you've figured out to help build in creative time? If so, I would love to hear about them! Hit me up at michele@michelefruscianoart.com.
We are a community and we can all learn from each other! I love hearing what other people have figured out and would also love to share your ideas with this community.
And as always, you can have alllll the tricks in the book, but nothing will work until you do! Now go and MAKE. THE. ART. I believe in you!