We procrastinate because we associate pain with a task. Or if you prefer less structure, you could decide on a minimum number of hours each day and each week that you will spend doing what matters most to you. The author, artist, and Hulu's VP of Product Design shares the surprisingly simple philosophy that drives his restless creativity. See if any of these affirmations are helpful to you, and try to come up with some of your own: Nothing is to be gained from self laseration. A mistake is just a mistake. Be sure your expectations of yourself are realistic. What signals are you sending by what you say and do— or what you refrain from saying and doing?" A mistake is just a mistake. Advice from determined creatives on pushing past blocks and making a long-standing idea a reality. Get curious about what the “pain” is you’re associating to the thing you’re putting off. The truth sets you free!Elizabeth Grace Saundershttp://www.ScheduleMakeover.com. That really is where procrastination begins and ends. You will feel better after that because you recharge your energy and refresh your mind. It’s time for us to all be free to do what’s right for us to do instead of being held back by guilt. It’s normal for us to go backward sometimes, yet we start to think that, not only did we fail, but we are failures. Volunteering is also a great way to gain perspective about the world around you. I know – it’s an awful phrase and it’s been said so many times, it almost feels like it’s lost its meaning. Instead, give yourself a hug and get up. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. And many of us, when we’re trying something new, will revert back to old familiar behaviors when things get scary. 0. I needed this. The Challenge: Once you have the time to focus on your creative pursuits, you may discover that you completely underestimated how long it would take you to make progress. We’ve all been there: You finally carve out the time to work on a big creative project and then you… choke. i know it was foolish, and i feel sosososo ashamed of myself!!! Susan McQuillan MS, RDN, is a food, health, and lifestyle writer. It really is so hard to find time to dedicate to your creative endeavors while working on other things – but it’s so valuable at the same time once you do, and you find yourself in that zone of producing. 5 Recommendations for Giving Thanks During a Pandemic, 3 Models Underlying Assumptions About Disability, Micromanipulations: A Narcissist's Method of Control, A New Way to Understand Your Psychological Defenses, Kamala Harris Was Single Until She Was 50 Years Old, Women’s Experiences with Multiple Orgasms Are Highly Diverse, Psychology Today © 2020 Sussex Publishers, LLC, COVID-19 and the Socioeconomic Future of Youth, During the Lockdown Certain Dog Breeds Have Gotten Plump. 48 We’ve all been there: You finally carve out the time to work on a big creative project and then you… choke. By Elizabeth Grace Saunders. -It’s good to celebrate and feel thankful for the opportunity to work from home. Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder of Real Life E Time Coaching & Training and author of The 3 Secrets to Effective Time Investment: How to Achieve More Success With Less Stress and How to Invest Your Time Like Money. Very nice and inspiring article.. This problem is an opportunity for growth. Find out how you can accomplish more with peace and confidence at http://www.RealLifeE.com. Do you write this specifically for me today? We have to shift the MEANING of what we supposedly HAVE to do, to something we are CHOOSING to do…because there is something we value on the line. Especially when we’ve grown up in over controlled environments— such as high control families with demanding, unpredictable parents— we can get very touchy when it comes to issues of control and freedom later in life. Take responsibility, and move on. Life doesn’t have to be such a dramatic tug of war. Thank you for reminding me that I don’t have to give away all my time to everyone and everything else. Creative work doesn’t seem to be as respected as other types of work even though they are often just as time consuming even difficult…sometimes more. ( Log Out / Christian Jarrett - If you want to truly stop kicking yourself about past mistakes, you need to get good at kicking negative thoughts to the curb. Our speakers at the 2020 99U Conference explored the theme of The Creative Self with insight, wit, and compassion. It’s hard to be disciplined when I feel guilty for having the opportunity to work from home. I’m so glad that this resonated with you Dana. To help make this idea tangible, look into contest applications, gallery show entries, grant opportunities, or job postings that you will be eligible for by using this time productively. To help make this idea tangible, look into contest applications, gallery show entries, grant opportunities, or job postings that you will be eligible for by using this time productively. Kicking a Food Addiction: Six Points On the Path to Peace, Recovering From Anorexia: How and Why Not to Stop Halfway. I have actually started some collections but I find as I am working on getting these together my family thinks I am wasting time. When you look at how we do things, there are generally two approaches to weight loss that many of us take. But not everyone kicks themselves for it. The downside of this is that we simply can’t follow those kinds of diets forever. I’m excited about losing some weight (saving some money, having time to myself…). But the guilt kept me from writing, and answering the questions of people, especially in a country where everyone works 14-15 hour days became too much and I took on a series of volunteer assignments so that I too was working very long hours and didn’t have any energy for my own projects. Just because you’re working on a ‘personal project,’ it doesn’t mean that you have free time. Also, try to find ways to get a sense of completion faster, such as publishing an excerpt of your book as an article, exhibiting the first painting in something that will become a series, or giving a presentation on your findings so far. 4.3k points. This cat likes kicks to the head. As a work from home writer, people often assume you are not busy and may just stop by at any time, or invite you to a gathering, or ask you to pick them up, help with a computer problem, run an errand….. the list goes on. Veteran and new work-from-homers share self-care practices, rituals, and boundaries to make working remotely successful for creatives. The Challenge: If you’ve reduced your hours, decided not to pursue a job, or turned down contract work so that you can move your passion project forward, you may struggle with guilt that time spent on this work doesn’t immediately benefit you financially. 101 comments. But doing photography- capturing people around me, editing pictures taken is like meditation for me. Chrysanthe Tenentes - This problem is an opportunity for growth. That sounds hard, doesn’t it? It could also be a way to find your true calling in life. This can lead you to distract yourself by doing time-consuming things that may save you a bit here and there, like selling things on Craigslist or going to three stores to find the cheapest price on a computer accessory, but ultimately steal time from your highest goal. The Solution: Just because you’re working on a personal project, it doesn’t mean that you have free time. How to overcome guilt so you can take full advantage of the time you're setting aside for your passion project. • Posted by 1 month ago. I am another one that this was specifically written for! I seem to never tell them I need to work on my own projects. Many people really will kick their own butts “proving” they don’t HAVE to do anything: abide by deadlines, do paperwork, pay taxes, follow rules.