For most of my life I have struggled with time management, and a part of me thinks it is because I have never known a life without technology, the internet, or social media for that matter. Granted, I did not have a phone or social media at a young age, but I was surrounded by it growing up. I was always devoting my attention to something, no matter the circumstance and I would lose track of time. As we are continuing to become a primarily digital world, it benefits your mind and your soul to take a step back from it all every once and a while. Retreats are the way to go. Whether it is a physical change in location or a mental state of mind, I would advise everyone to consciously disconnect yourself from the thing that we have revolved our lives around for too long. It doesn’t have to be a weekend trip kind of thing, but it can be if that’s within your means. Retreats can also be 15-minute breaks or mile-long walks around the neighborhood. Whatever you can do to escape the chaos for a bit, do it. You will become better because of it.
Author, Austin Kleon, brings up a good point when he says, “many artists have discovered that they work best upon waking” (Keep Going, 45). As mentioned in my previous post, I am very much a planner and my daily routine is what keeps me going. Granted, I don’t always wake up at the crack of dawn or at the exact same time every day, but with the rising sun and quietness of mornings, I find peace in it all. After brewing my cup of coffee, taking a few sips, and letting that sink in, I am ready to start my day.
As far as actually waking up and getting out of bed goes, I have a little trouble. Here’s the thing. I am a very deep sleeper, and I love my bed, as I would assume many others do too. In my case, I have to set several alarms on my phone in case I roll over and go back to sleep after hitting snooze on the first alarm. When I wake up, I literally sit up and jump out of bed to force myself to get up because I could sleep forever. I try not to be on my phone as much in the mornings, so I don’t fog up my brain, but I mostly check the weather to see how to dress. Other than that, I do as most everyone does: brush my teeth, wash my face, get dressed, and then make that special cup of coffee.
When preparing to get to work with a designated time and space, I like to turn off my notifications or put my phone across the room where I can’t see it in order to give my full attention to my work. Sometimes, “airplane mode is not just a setting on your phone: It can be a whole way of life” (Keep Going, 55). In no way am I implying that isolating yourself from the outside world is how you should live your life, but it can be a way to get your work done in an efficient manner. I try my hardest not to be closed off to people because I love making connections with others and spending quality time with family, but when it comes to my work, I make it a priority. I fully devote my time and presence to everything I do. Whether that is reading a book on the front porch to relax or brainstorming for new project ideas, I pour my heart and soul into it. As artists, we have a lot of passion for what we do and I encourage you to use that to your advantage. If you work hard and love big, you will go far in life, I promise.
"I hope there are days when you fall in love with being alive" -Unknown
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