Time Management: How do you do it?

[Patt Legg]

Debra,

Wow!! After reading your post , I feel better. It is truly amazing how your life sounds chaotic but organized in such a manner that you accomplish so very much. I went to your web site and I am very impressed to say the least.

In my case, I feel that much of my dilemma is that of having too many "things". I think that is a common complaint in the later years. I wish to scale down therefore,we finally put our house up for Sale. Of course, hubby asks, "what is scale down? don't you know the next house will still have to be cleaned,etc?"

Sometimes a little two bedroom cabin with a few trees around it, a porch with a comfy chair where I can sip my a.m. coffee or my cup of tea at dusk, a single easel, tiny table with a glass palette full of paint and brushes, enough beans and rice to suffice for awhile ---------well, I can dream can't I?

Life if so funny. The prior paragraph was almost a precise description of the way I began years ago--and then I wanted to do better. I sometimes wonder why human nature is that way and it truly is. In this space where I am in my head now is Solitude, quiet-ness, Spiritual. I love where I am now as far as my life goes ----I am definitely more at peace with myself. I sometimes think that is in some way--the problem. Like you said, Julie, after all those years of taking care of others, we often are at a loss of how to take care of ourselves---at least without a hint of guilt there.

Debra, I lived in Chandler for about 13 years-------wayy-y-y-y back in early 60's. As a matter of fact it was there that I had my first interest in painting.
Haven't been there since 1973 and I hear Chandler is hugely populated and so crowded now.
But I do leave an X there where I still have my name on a house---but that's another story. Tell ya sometime.

[SB Wang]

Linda:
I'm not qualified for talking about this topic, so:
http://www.mindtools.com/page5.html

[Anthony Emmolo]

Hello Linda,

I have a lot of thoughts on time management. Some may be worth your while to think about. Firstly, I try to learn a lot about this business by the people of today who I feel are the top business people of the day. They may not be artists, but they are successful largely due to their good habits and persistence.

Here are a few what I consider to be gems by Donald Trump the New York City Real Estate Developer on this very topic:

From "The Art Of The Deal"

Page 7- "...lunch: a can of tomato juice. I rarely go out, because mostly, it's a waste of time."

Page 12- After writing about a phone call he received that covered a lot of turf. "Our call lasts less than two minutes. That's one thing I love about Alan: he never wastes time."

Page 33- "Also when I do give an interview, I always keep it short. This reporter is in and out in less than twenty minutes. If I didn't limit myself, I could spend my life talking to the press."

Donald Trump is a hard man in many ways. It may not be so necessary for an artist to be this strict with oneself. However, from time to time we could probably save a lot of time for painting just by letting the phone ring, using the computer with a timer on it, etc. I for one have benefited from the words the I just wrote from that book. I tend to be a second coffee kind of guy before going into the studio at times.

Also, any book I read about successful habits comes from people who are up and working at no later than 6:00am. I've started that habit as well.

Good luck,
Anthony

[Patricia Joyce]

I have revisited this thread several times, looking for help managing my time. But it is not just time we have to manage. How do you manage your relationships, too?

I did NO art during the 25 years I raised my two sons, alone. In the desperate moments of the business of being a single mom to two active boys I whispered over and over to myself, "when K and K are grown and out of the house, it will be MY TIME, to pursue my passion for portraiture, to larn to draw and to paint. I will be my first priority then"

Well the kids are grown and out of the house for five years now. And I have returned to my art and I feel progressed fairly well in the pat few years (especially since finding this fourm two years ago, thank you cynthia and all those who have helped me immeasurably)

I have even changed my work schedule to four ten hour days so that I have an extra day at home. What I have accomplished time wise is this:

Saturday morning I try to get all household chores done, grocery shopping, errands, housecleaning, etc. On good days I can get to the studio by mid afternoon and have a couple hours...except my fiance wants dinner and to go out at night - when I am pooped.

Sunday I try to take the morning to relax read the paper, Sunday breakfast, time with jack on our new wrap around porch in our new house, church. Afternoon a three or four hour time in my studio wherre I paint or draw and break every 45 minutes to change out th laundry. Sunday evening Jack is home and wants to take our long walk in the valley, or go out on a friend's boat, etc.

Monday is studio day. I turn off the phone, I will not touch a mop or broom, or washcloth or dish soap or even take a shower until evening. I AM IN MY STUDIO . and come 6pm when Jack gets home I am so sad that the day is over.

My problem is that now I am hearing complaints that the house is a mess, I never want to cook, and I am always tired...At what emotional/relationship lengths will we go as artist, to commit to our art and to life partners?

And still, with only about 15 hours to DO art I still wonder how I am going to learn photography?? My studio needs lots of work still, establishing a place to put my model and the correct lighting, learning photoshop, how to photograph my models, building a model stand, shopping for art supplies (mostly that is done on line these days, which is fine) And then after that there are my boys, my grandchildren, my ailing father, my five siblings and all the weddings birthday parties showers work picnics to attend

LIFE IS SHORT, A DAY IS BRIEF. CAN I BECOME AN Accomplished artist and still have A life??? Seriously, there are so many times I think I need to escape Cleveland altogether, take my puppy and live like a hermit, near New York (so I can take Marvin's Saturday classes), but dirt poor, without a job . . .

[Molly Sherrick Phifer]

Patty,

I can relate, as I'm sure many of us can. In our society, we have a "do it all" theme. There are so many things complicating our lives that we feel sapped of our vitality and guilty when we try to "steal" moments to regain some measure of energy. There has been a lot written about how to simplify and regain your life and I personally could open a library dedicated to that subject! One of the all-around best websites I have ever seen in helping folks (particularly women, but not only women) reverse the energy draining trends in their lives is Flylady . The woman who started the site has workable solutions, tips, philosophical discourse and fun attitude adjusting challenges and musings.

There is hope!

[Julie Deane]

Hi Patricia -

I sure can relate! In fact, I was just journaling about this topic (again) this morning. Although my relationship issues are different: divorced with one college-aged son commuting to school and working part-time from home.

I'm learning that I have to set boundaries with him. In fact, I just informed him today that if he wants me to pick up anything for him at the store, that I only plan to go shopping on Fridays. It's a good boundary for me, too, so that I don't waste time.

The next boundary I need to set is what times I will actually be in the studio. If I don't do that, I find that the more insistant stuff gets done first. I plan to let my son know those hours, too, and post them outside my studio.

I've decided that I will do what I can and quit the fretting. I will not be as good an artist personally if I am worrying where my next meal is coming from, so quitting my job is not an option for me. (Plus I like my job - it fulfills a different aspect of my personality).

I'll probably never be a big-name artist, but what is more important to me - to enjoy my life and my art or to go half-crazy because I can't fulfill all the demands I put on myself? Today I am choosing balance. I'll do what art/business things I can and leave the results in God's hands.

[Michele Rushworth]

Patricia wrote:

now I am hearing complaints that the house is a mess, I never want to cook, and I am always tired

Tell him you've been working all day and let him do his share of the house cleaning and cooking.

Even if it's part time you can view your art as a business, as a job, as work, and then insist that others around you respect it as such. To many of us, art is not "a hobby" and the only way to communicate that to some friends and family members is to keep reminding them.

Even after many, many years of selling my art for ever growing prices, and for gradually more and more presigious clients, my Mom still refers to what I do as my hobby. I remind her patiently that it's my job!

[Brenda Ellis]

Thank you, Patricia, for reviving this thread. I can relate!

But I guess right now I have it pretty good. I live alone. My apartment is small so there isn't that much to clean. (I have a yard with garden so that takes work but that is another love of mine). I have two cats, but cats are good because you don't have to walk them.
I just broke up with my long term relationship a couple of days ago. (It was my idea) and I couldn't be happier that, now, instead of having to sit around with him and try to think of things to do together, I can just paint or draw to my heart's content. No one can say, "You don't pay enough attention to me." Cats and laundry can't talk.

When I'm on my death bed, I doubt that I will think to myself, "gee, I should have mopped the kitchen floor more often." At least I hope my regrets will be grander than that!

I think women have it harder because, even in this day of gender equality, we still have to clean and cook and raise the kids, even though we are now also "free" to go out and work 40 hours a week!

My son is grown and living in another state. All my relatives are in another state, so I don't have to worry about that.
I have an active social life, but I can still have plenty of time during the week at nights to paint.
A solitary life gives one plenty of time to do what one likes.

The downside is sometimes I feel like I'm alone too much. I think we do have to balance all the aspects of our lives. And I have to enjoy what I'm doing and learning now with portraiture and let the future take care of itself. I feel the clock ticking too (we've shared about this before.) But I can't slow down time and I can't speed up my process. I have to accept both of those things if I want some sanity.

So if I get another partner, or a dog, I'll have less time to paint, but there are many aspects of me that need to be nurtured and fed. We have a theory in my day job: A person has to go away from their work to get more resources to come back and give to their work. If I spent every minute at the easel, I would not become a great artist, I would become a wreck. I have to be out and about seeing things and people and light and nature in order to put something on the canvas anyway.

I'm always looking and trying to see. I'm always responding to colors and shapes of things. I'm an artist no matter what I'm doing.

I bet, Patricia, that you wouldn't trade places with me for anything. When I'm on my deathbed, I probably will know how important family and relationships were. Maybe more important than painting.

[Patt Legg]

Hello Pat, I just read your post and the others. I have not revisited this site for awhile. I see it is still an ongoing discussion.

I can certainly relate to the "relatonship thing here". I spoke briefly about it in my other posts. It seems to have gotton worse. The comments from the other half has gone from you work too hard to " you have painted most of your life and if I had done that and still not accomplished any more than you have----I would have the sense to give it up."

Go figure !

I am trying to deal with it.

patt

[Anthony Emmolo]

Hello Patricia,
I believe we can all empathize with you to some degree or another. I've also had to remind people in my life that I am not spending time with a hobby, but it is a business. It helps greatly to have support from home on that issue. I feel lucky there. I have always gotten that support. I do feel giving support to the ones closest to us makes it more possible to receive what we want from them, in this case time in the studio.

Let us look at the situation from a different point of view- from the other person's point to view. Art is like a second lover. In many cases the relations in our lives realize they come in second place to our art. That is not an easy place to be for many people. It would be a lot more stimulating for many of them to just move on to a person who can give them all they crave. With that in mind let us think how we can show undying love and affection for the significant other and let him or her know that they are not the INsignificant other. Creatively thinking of ways to show love, "I love You" SMS's on the cell phone, a lovingly prepared romantic meal once in a while, a poem written by us or found among the archives of great poetry that we can read to our significant other are different ways to show partnership, love and dedication. Obviously being there during the hard times and listening empathically to the other person's thoughts are time proven ways of showing affection. I believe with these tactics, we won't have to demand time in the studio in the ways we may have to now. Our lover will feel more fed emotionally and probably be more supportive. There is no guarantee here, but it is a way to go. It will also help to build more emotional awareness in ourselves of the people around us. A quote I take seriously from Henry Ford goes like this. "If there is any one secret to success, it is in seeing things from the other person's point of view and then acting from that person's angle as well as your own." I feel it is a thought that will strengthen our relations in every area of our lives.

Lastly, and this is from a person who lives all the way in Shanghai and uses this website as a blood-line to other artists. I really appreciate the thoughts and the viewings of other artists work here. It is a God send. But with all of that in mind, MAYBE with over 700 times that you've written to the forum you can cut down on computer use. That is a time user to many of us.

Pat, I don't know how much time you use the computer, and I don't know how creatively attentive you are to your loved ones. So, if you feel this email is out of line, please don't take it personally. I see these writings by all of us as for all of us, so I hope they can help someone out there.

Yours,
Anthony