Day after day you tell yourself the same thing:
Today I will make time for JEWELRY MAKING.
But after a day filled with shuffling your children from soccer practice to piano lessons to the grocery store, a to-do list that stretches out to the next city, and five piles of laundry waiting to be folded, you’re lucky if you have five minutes to scroll through Facebook, let alone pull out those beads that have been collecting dust since 2012.
This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
I get it. Life gets busy.
And it’s so easy to believe that you couldn’t possibly squeeze in something fun and creative, no matter how much you want to do it. After all, you’re overwhelmed as it is.
But the truth is, as I talk about in my book, The Busy Mom’s Guide to Creativity, making time for creative outlets and achieving that magical state of flow has benefits to your overall well-being.
And when you feel good, you’re more motivated and more productive, freeing up even more time.
Seems counter-intuitive, but I can personally attest to how more productive, grounded, and present I’m able to be when I create space in my day for creative activities such as jewelry making.
So how exactly do you carve out time?
Here are six tips for making time for jewelry-making when you don’t have time.
1. Stop waiting
I’m going to let you in on a little secret.
If you keep waiting for THE DAY, it’s never going to happen. If you keep finding reasons why you don’t have time, it’s never going to happen.
You will ALWAYS have responsibilities and things that need to get done. But if you continue to wait for that magical moment, you will never find it.
Only you can make time for the things that make you happy. So no more excuses, my friend! Make the decision that today is the day. Not tomorrow. Not a month from now. TODAY!
Related: 5 little tricks to stay organized when you feel overwhelmed
Make the choice to start making jewelry right now.
2. Write it down
When we have ideas floating around in our head, that’s all they remain to be. Ideas.
However, when you put them on paper, they are more real, more tangible. If you are making it a goal to make time for jewelry making this year, you have to write it down.
Hang it up where you can see it, doodle it in the margins of your planner, set reminders on your calendar.
Do what it takes so that it gets into your brain that you WILL find time for making jewelry.
Let your family members know that you have a date night with your jewelry making supplies. Set up a recurring event on your calendar or if you are a pen-and-paper kind of gal write it down in your calendar right now, and stick to it!
3. Sign up for a class
One of the greatest motivators to get me to do something is to pay for it. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money, even a few dollars can be enough of a kick in the pants to take action because otherwise, you’re just wasting your own money!
Here are five class ideas if you are looking for inspiration.
- How to make a found necklace
- Wire wrapping
- Turkish flat weave bracelet
- Fabric circles necklace
- Ear wire basics
4. Find an accountability partner
You know that saying “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” If no one knows you are making time for your creative interests, is it really going to happen?
Tell someone — your mom, your best friend, a Facebook buddy — your plan so that it’s out there in the world. Even better if they’re taking action as well.
Check in with each other — maybe you text each other a set time each day — and make sure that you’re both following through with your plan.
5. Get off your PHONE
We waste so much time mindlessly scrolling through our e-mail, the news, social media. Time that could be so much better spent doing something fun, creative, and meaningful.
The next time you’re at home and feel compelled to reach for your phone, instead grab your supplies.
6. make it a part of your daily routine
Making jewelry doesn’t necessarily have to be this BIG THING that requires hours of uninterrupted time. As S.J. Scott shares in his book, Habit Stacking:127 Small Changes to Improve Your Health, Wealth, and Happiness, big projects, (which he refers to as Elephant Tasks), can be broken down into smaller chunks and be made part of your daily routine.
Say, for example, you want to take an online jewelry-making class. Rather than doing it all it once, build it into your morning or evening routine to spend 10 minutes watching the videos and learning a new skill. Once you’ve mastered those skills, continue to set aside 10 minutes each day to work on a new jewelry project.
How do you make time for jewelry making?
Jewelry making inspiration delivered right to your inbox
Sign up for the Linkouture newsletter to receive ideas, tutorials, and practical steps for jewelry making e-mailed to you. You’ll also get exclusive access to my FREE mini video course, Jump Ring Jewels.
You are signing up to receive promotional and marketing materials from Linkouture. You may unsubscribe at any time. Check out Linkouture’s privacy policy for details.