I love creating things – plush creatures, sketches, paintings, journal pages, photographs, ...the list goes on. The problem I am finding at the moment is that I have way too many things I want to do. It seems there are suddenly a hundred and one e-courses I want to do, photo and sketching projects popping up left, right and centre, and many projects I’ve already started needing my attention; and I just can’t say no to any of them!
I only have a limited amount of time and I know that I can’t really fit everything in, but I don’t want to give up on any of the different mediums. How do other people fit in more than one creative hobby? Should I try alternating days, weeks? Or just do whatever I feel like at the time? I don’t want to make it too structured as it is supposed to be free time, but I feel it is running away from me and I often end up feeling frustrated that I haven’t achieved more.
I need to start sewing properly again and making new plush creatures for my shop, but I have 2 e-courses going until the end of January which involve journalling and creating vision boards etc, so I have spent most of my creative time on that. I have been doing some experimental drawing from the Drawing Lab book too, and my photography projects (365 Scientist and Project 52), but no sewing. Then there is exercise and going to the gym to fit in too..... aaaaaaaggggggggghhhhhhhhh. At the start of February I have a painting e-course starting, and I’m tempted to sign up to another e-course about painting and colour which runs at the same time (but lasts longer). I know I shouldn’t, but I want to do both.
I want to magically have enough time to effortlessly get all my course assignments done, create art for the projects I’ve signed up to, improve my photography with the unlimted time courses I bought, take on new photo projects, do my drawing lab projects, create new designs for my shops, sew new creatures and list new products, make repeats of sold items to resell, and still have time to relax.
I guess I need to learn how to take on a couple of things at a time, but that isn’t an option right now as I’m already signed up to EVERYTHING! If I break it down into small chunks and goals for each week, I’m sure there won’t be as much as I think. After all, I have to be enjoying it too, else there really is no point.
I’d love to hear anyone else’s opinions or thoughts on how to fit in more than 1 creative hobby!
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1 comment:
I SO hear ya on this predicament. Though I'm not taking nearly as many e-courses as you (I just took Home Ec last year and I'm still working through the projects), I'm still trying to juggle my "real" job (illustrator), making plush, sewing up my first bag product line, I want to screen print more and I have half a dozen knitted projects I want to try.
Though I often feel like I've taken on too much, I try to work at them all in small doses. I find if I dedicate a few hours to each project every day, I am still quite productive, and I am able to slowly chip away at my to-do lists. Of course, if there is a deadline, I'll prioritize, but if I can just spread my creative love around, it works quite well.
I try to be as disciplined as possible when it comes to email, blogging, social media, etc. I limit the time spent on these things, as they become a HUGE distraction. Then I can focus on the tasks at hand.
Even though I often feel overwhelmed and fear I've taken on way too much, in the long run I think it makes me a stronger artist, because I have so many disciplines that are influencing my creations.
Good luck!!!
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