Notes by Christen: Prioritizing Time for Art

I think it’s safe to say that we all feel short on time. Whether you work from home raising a family or spend your days behind a desk, there never seems to be enough time to do the things we really want to do. We’d much rather be reading a fantastic book than paying the bills. We’d love to be sitting at our easels than behind a computer. But there’s no time … Or is there?

Recently, I found myself feeling a lot of creative guilt. I know you’ve felt it too. You feel bad because you haven’t engaged in any sort of creative act in ages. You start wondering if you can consider yourself an artist or crafter because you haven’t produced anything in a long time. I became so frustrated with feeling that way that I sat down and looked at where my time went. I was surprised to find little pockets of time throughout the day that I could use to work on some of the projects on my to-do list.

The longest stretch of time I found was my lunch break at work. Now, I don’t always take my lunch break. Many times you can find me eating at my desk while shuffling through emails, but there are other times when I get the chance to step away for an hour. I got excited at the idea of an hour to myself. What could I get done in an hour? It turns out, a lot.

I looked through my list of things I wanted to do, and spied an idea for a tote bag I wanted to make to haul the books from my weekly library trips. I grabbed the plain bag, some paint, and a sponge brush and brought it with me to work. When it was finally lunchtime, I shut the door to my office and got to work. By the end of my lunch break, I had a great, hand-painted tote bag, and I was feeling ecstatic that I finally got it done. Now, I make sure to always have some sort of project with me as well as a book, in case I find myself with extra time.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of doing a podcast with Ricë Freeman-Zachery. We talked about this very subject. We both agreed about the importance for making time for your creativity. If you don’t have an office, or a door you can shut, you can always find a shady spot in a nearby park or a small table at a coffee shop. You’ll be amazed at how great this little break in the day will make you feel.

So next time you feel like there just isn’t any time left for you or your creativity, remember that there’s always time. You just need to claim it for yourself.

 

Christen Olivarez is is the Editor in Chief and Director of Publishing for Stampington and she oversees all 30 of their titles. To read her blog and get to know her better, go here. or listen to another podcast with Christen by clicking here. You can contact Christen via e-mail at [email protected].

 


 

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