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.
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.
For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here.
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.
Image by Dimitris Kalogeropoylos
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?
I love your tips and I have already started to brainstorm for your first challenge next week for, “Who Am I” and can’t wait now!! 🙂
That’s awesome! I can’t wait to read it 😀
These are such great tips. I’m an expert at making lists and setting goals, but I’m a major work in progress when it comes to accomplishing everything on my list! Love these ideas to help make it happen! Thanks.
I totally know what you mean! I have a long list of to-do’s to get through constantly. Sometimes the hardest part is taking action — and finding the time for it. Good luck!
I’m so excited to start this project with you, Bev! I just finished my piece for this month. I haven’t written anything for this week though! I signed up for an online photography class a few years ago, but I never finished it. Maybe I’ll go back to it this year, or maybe I need to find something else that will inspire me.
Me too, Dana! I’m planning on siting down tomorrow to work on my piece for next week 🙂
I’ll admit, I still have an online jewelry-making class I need to take. I’m making my way through a newsletter class right now, though!
I think scheduling time and signing up for classes is a great way to make time for creativity! Especially when they’re ‘in person’ classes. I’ve bought online classes that I have yet to take (years later!) My sister, mom and I are going to take a ceramics class to learn the wheel in a couple months that I’m really looking forward to!
That sounds like so much fun! (I think the best part is you are doing it with your mom & sister). I know, it can be more motivating to do an in-person class since it’s already scheduled for you. I can’t wait to hear how your class goes!
So many great tips here… for me “putting it out there” is the one that works the best.. which is why I am blogging about my reading challenge and my new workouts I want to try each month!
Yes! Putting it out there is definitely a big motivator. I’m looking forward to seeing how your reading challenge goes!
I need to do this! I have kits and different things to tap more into my creative side but they’re collecting dust. Its time to actually do them!!!!
Yes, do them! And then share them on Periscope 😉 (Not that I’m ever on anymore, sadly!)
Clicked link for Who I Am Project, I cannot wait!
I need an accountability partner, the one I have is great, but he’s kind of soft on me… any takers? 🙂
I’d love to work with you on something creative in the future.
Anyway, I’m trying harder this year, I’m done talking, I’m acting it all out this year.
XOXO
Yay, glad you’ll be joining us 🙂
I would totally be your accountability partner! And I would love to do something creative with you as well!
What an amazing challenge! I find that accountability partners are vital. And so are classes. I’m such a student, that I forget that sometimes now that I’m older and not in school. When I get back in a class setting, I get my mojo back.
I’m such a student too! I love taking classes, mostly because I’m a big nerd, but I really enjoy the structure of them, even if they’re online. I just finished a class on CreativeLive and am hoping to sign up soon for another one!
I like the idea of making a date with myself for creativity! Great idea!
I’ll admit, I don’t do it as much as I would like since I spend so much of my time already being creative, but I would like to do a better job of doing creative things that are just for the sake of being creative and aren’t necessarily tied to my business.
I love, love, LOVE this post! Creative projects energize me, but they always seem to be the last priority! I’d love to make that change in 2016!
Thanks so much, Joanna! I hope this inspires you to make that change this year 🙂
Great suggestions Bev! There are quite a few classes I’ve been eyeing. Maybe it’s time to sign up!
Do it, Lori! 😉
My creative outlet this year is going to be learning how to use my DSLR camera in manual mode!
That sounds awesome! I have wanted to try to do that, but I haven’t yet.
This is such a great list with a lot of useful advice! I love the tip about the accountability partner. My husband and I started a new fitness regimen together for the New Year and he definitely keeps me on my toes, lol!
That’s so cool that you are doing that together! I think doing something like that with your spouse would be a great way to bond, not to mention keep each other accountable!