One of the biggest things I’ve struggled with in having a jewelry business is finding the time to actually make jewelry. Sounds ironic, doesn’t it?
Between blogging (which, I will say, is a huge creative outlet), social media, learning skills to help my business grow and thrive, commitments to creative groups, checking e-mail, and everything else that goes on in a typical a day, a large chunk of my day some how gets gobbled up by the time monster.
And before I know it, the day is over and I have no time to make any jewelry, or I’m just too plain exhausted to do it.
Sometimes I find myself going weeks without making jewelry, and honestly, that just doesn’t feel right.
So of course my interest was immediately piqued when I received my weekly Wednesday Wisdom e-mail from April Bowles Olin of Blacksburg Belle a few weeks ago entitled “Make This One Change to Secure More Time to Create.” (Of course, I was so busy it took a day before I actually opened the e-mail!)
Spoiler alert: if you want to know what it is you need to do, watch the video before you read the rest of this post!
So what was that one thing April recommended?
Do something creative as soon as you wake up.
Whatever your outlet is, whether it be writing, painting, knitting, or making jewelry, spend time on it before you really get your day started.
Sounds simple enough, right? April challenged her readers to try it for a week. So I decided to take her up on her challenge (ok, so I couldn’t do the full week due to an early-morning flight to Chicago on Thursday for BlogHer) and spent the next five days making jewelry before I did anything else. That meant no e-mail, no blogging, no social media, nada until after I spent 30-60 minutes making jewelry. (Just the occasional bowl of cereal to sate my grumbling belly before I got started.)
And you know what? I was able to make so much jewelry in such a short period of time. I was even inspired to design the bracelet that I wore to BlogHer ’13! (Which can be found at the bottom of this post.)
By carving out even just a small chunk of time first thing every morning, I ensured that I didn’t let the minutia of running my business get in the way of finding time to make jewelry. I definitely intend to continue this challenge when I return to Boston, and I’m excited to see what comes of it.
What is your creative outlet? How do you make time for it?
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That’s really great advice! I’m not at my very best first thing in the morning, so I don’t know if that timing would work for me, but I know that’s really the only way to make sure that everything else doesn’t get in the way of creativity. It’s so easy to have other things swallow up your time otherwise!! Ashley and I were just lamenting the other day that actual writing (which is the outlet for us) sadly (and ironically) comprises the least amount of what we spend our time on with the blog! –Lisa
Great advice and it totally works for me! Sometimes I get more into writing/blogging than photography and I realize – “well hey, that’s the one I’m aiming to do full-time..right?” Well, maybe. I think I love them both. Lately I do get up early to edit photos. Sometimes I even take photos of the morning light. It works.
Yeah, I realize that morning isn’t quite the ideal time for everyone, but perhaps it could even help wake you up and get your day started . It’s crazy how we have these things that we love, that involve creativity, but all the less fun nitty gritty stuff ends up getting in the way so frequently. I do hope you two find more time for the writing part, I know what a bummer it is when I feel like I have no time to make jewelry!
That’s awesome! I bet your get some incredible photos early in the morning. As long as you love writing (even if it isn’t perhaps your first passion) and you feel inspired to write in the morning, then that’s what counts, right?
It was really nice meeting at the conference on Saturday. What a small world! If you are ever free for coffee sometime in Boston, I’d love to stay in touch. And, I am excited to follow your blog!!
Likewise! I would definitely be up for meeting for coffee, feel free to shoot me an e-mail!
This is a great tip. I so often get sucked into the email trap in the morning and find myself trying to catch up all day long. Starting my day doing something creative would be so much more inspiring!