Simplifying my life – Getting more time and space to be creative
I love being creative because when I think of a new idea it is a rush. I get a sense of satisfaction and happiness. To put ideas together that just work perfectly especially when it all turns out the way I picture it. I am a big fan of creative pursuits. I love to write (it is a secret passion of mine really), I sew and I colour. I have a list of skills that I would like to develop, classes I am enrolled in and am enrolling in. Each day, each month I get through all of it and I am learning along the way. Some people ask me how I have the time for creative pursuits, work, and a social life. I like to believe that everyone has some kind of creative expression in them waiting to get out.
Creativity takes many forms – drawing, playing music, creating code, and sewing. We all have that something to express within. Work with what you have. Don’t waste time on the things that don’t fulfil you, like spending hours flipping through apps on your phone. Nurturing your creativity is so important being creative is about being yourself, and letting yourself be who you want to be.
We often hear ourselves saying – “I wish I had more time for myself, “I’m so busy! I don’t have a moment to catch a breath, I just need more hours in the day”. We are all busy and we often don’t seem to have time for ourselves. We know that we need to take time for ourselves to pursue our passions, to do things that we enjoy or relax. It makes us happier and healthier people. Time allows us to de-stress, unwind and rejuvenate.
I don’t have more hours in a day. I just aim to make time for what is important to me. I decided that creativity is important to me – makes me happy, it enriches me. How we spend our time says a lot about us. Remember that no matter what we do, there are only 24 hours in a day, so you can’t create more time. Re-evaluate your priorities, perhaps saying “no” more often and practicing smart time management. Making time is not something you should feel guilty about. Giving yourself an opportunity to relax, refocus and recharge will only give you a better opportunity to give back more to your responsibilities, other commitments, and other enjoyments.
Making time for ourselves is about deciding what matters. Don’t make excuses. You can have ideas and commit the time if you decide to. If it is important to you, you will always find a way to make it happen. If it isn’t important you will find an excuse not to do it. When you are committed to something it becomes easy to find the time for it. Just be aware of where your time is spent, and with whom and then pick things that energise you. Creative projects that make me feel good about myself will make me feel more fulfilled when I am working on something and when I complete a project.
Take some time to think through what you really want to make time for.
Assessing how you currently spend your time
It is the age of digital distraction – do you know where you really spend your time. You need to work it out.
Example (activity x 7days)
- Internet x 7 =
- Work x 7 =
- Friends/family x 7 =
- Exercise x 7 =
- Reading x 7 =
- Sleeping x 7 =
- Eating x 7 =
- Travel x 7 =
- Etc
- TOTAL=
- 168 – TOTAL = weekly total hours activity
This will show you the biggest time wasters and any time gaps. Set a time limit for things like social media so you can focus on those things that are the most important to you.
Get more time
Break up your routine. Get up out of bed. Don’t log into social media. Get out, inspire yourself. If you really want it you will find it. When you make time for yourself you will notice that there is time for ideas and that there will be more igniting of ideas for you.
- Optimise sleep and get up early. Find the best time to go to bed and what the best time to get up is for you. Sleep cycles are roughly 90minutes in duration. So try for multiples of 90 (90, 1.5hrs, 3hrs, 4.5hrs, 6hrs, 7.5hrs, 9hrs). Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time.
- Reclaim dead time. Utilise travel, grocery shopping, exercising and do something at the same time. Listen to podcasts, audio books
- Use your time efficiently, start the day how you wish to proceed. If you don’t have a morning routine, start one. Do something that definitively starts your day and gears you up for the day ahead. Consistency is king, make a commitment and plan out your routine the night before. Eliminate decisions the night before creates a clear routine for the new day and creates your morning routine. Having a ritual makes you feel more efficient and in control of your day. Eliminate meaningless things or tasks which give you more space in your mind for creative flow. Creativity needs time and space to be born
- Follow your biorhythms. When do you do your best work? Do you work best in the morning? Or sew best in the afternoon? I find that I sew better at the end of the day as it helps me to relax. I find that I write better in the morning and I come up with better blog posts in the morning. So when I have spare time I will write in the morning and sew in the afternoon.
- Try to have a goal with a timeline. For example, I try to only be working on three quilts at a time or I find that I spend too much time working on all the projects and I never get any of them completed.
By giving yourself time to be yourself and do things that matter to you will feel better. If you allow yourself to be creative you will feel more energised and fulfilled.
