Finding Time To Create
Transcript:
I was going to start this video with me singing "Why Do You Write Like You're Running Out Of Time?" from Hamilton, but then I tried that... and I sounded terrible.
So... we're not doing that.
This video is about finding time to create! My biggest problem with writing, creating, or just any other personal project is finding time for them. I don't know about you, but I am always running around with ideas. Things that will just slip away if I don't commit them down somewhere.
I just don't have the time! But is that really true?
If I mapped out my entire day would I find that there is no time to create anything? No, of course not. There is time in every day, even if it is just five minutes. I'd like to share some tips with you that I've found help me find more time in my days to create things.
Making time for art is important to me for several reasons. Creating things is how I process my world, it is how I work through problems and frustrations. And especially lately, when my health has been limiting my options so much... a day when I create something versus a day when I don't can literally be the difference between a good day and a bad day if I literally cannot do anything else.
My first and best tip is to take creative coffee breaks.
Honestly, just a minute or two to sketch or brainstorm or note-take really adds up. I find I get most of my writing done waiting in lines or traveling to or from places during a slow point during my classroom lectures, exercising, or even at mealtimes. I am always looking for a moment to jot something down.
This leads into my second tip: You can only take advantage of your time if you have the right tools.
I'm a pretty technological person, so I pretty much do all my writing on my phone. I have this app called Ulysses. I can write on my phone, or my tablet, or my computer, and it syncs between all of them so I don't ever have to worry about losing anything. I’m actually using it right now!
Ulysses is a Mac and iPad/iPhone only app, so it might not be available for everyone, but before I used Ulysses I used Simplenote which is pretty much the same thing except it is free. They have apps for phones and your computer and a web based app. You can use it anywhere you want! The only problem I found with Simplenote was that it was a little harder to organize my writing. I could write long things in it, but finding them later was a little difficult if I didn't use the tagging system correctly.
Ulysses was built for more long-term projects, so that's what I use for long-term projects. I still use Simplenote for quick notes and many, many, many other things. It's still incredibly useful to me.
But not everyone writes.
Some creative pursuits can't be as easily made on a phone. So how do you find time for those? Tip two still fits, it's just a little more cumbersome. Soon I'm going to making a bigger effort to carry my camera around with me to more places. I really want to expand my videos visually instead of the typical bedroom-vlog format. I can't do that if I don't take my camera out. I've always been a little wary of taking my camera places, especially since I invested in a higher quality DSLR. It could get stolen!
But what is the use of having a nice camera if I don't use it? Especially now that I'm in Design classes. It cannot help me with my schoolwork if I don't use it for school!
Making time for creativity often means making time for yourself, and that's my third tip: Don't be afraid to prioritize yourself.
Bringing my camera might put it at more of a risk to be stolen but I'd much rather have to replace it because I can't live without it than have to really think and struggle over the cost because it sat on a shelf more than I used it. The same goes for writing. I will jot down an idea or scene as soon as it comes to me. It takes less than a minute. The majority of the time there are very few things that would suffer from not having my full attention for less than a minute.
Prioritizing yourself is the best way to find time you didn't realize you had.
You might only have ten minutes of uninterrupted time a day, not counting those moments you steal back I mentioned before. If you put all that time into your creative pursuits, even just ten minutes a day, even just five, even just two! Things will add up bit by bit. And the more you see progress, the more you want to see more progress.
You will look and find other things that maybe aren't as important, that you can cut back on... or that you can do at the same time. I write and watch TV. I film videos and... *laughs* work in a team meeting. Whoops! Probably shouldn't do that! Don't be afraid to prioritize things that make you happy.
Creating things makes me happier, more calm person.
I'm a much better person to work with, both professionally and personally when I am happy with myself. Don't be afraid to schedule time for yourself.
Over and over again, the top tip I see from very professional people is that they set appointments for things they want to do.
If I didn't schedule time to film videos they wouldn't get done. Filming videos is a lot more time intensive than jotting something down on my phone. But it is something I value, so it is something I set time aside for.
And here's a small tip: Sometimes I dread actually facing the time I've given to myself.
I put off filming this video for four hours, but then the moment I started filming it, I felt better and it wasn't a problem. The idea of creating something is a lot harder than actually working towards it. Don't think of things as a big picture. Think about what you can do now. You'll be surprised exactly how much that is.
What are your tips for getting things done? Let me know in the comments, I'm always looking for new ideas. Maybe we'll have enough to make another video.
I'll see you guys next week. Bye.
*singing* How do you write like you're running out of time?
I can't sing. I don't know why I chose this intro. It was a bad decision on my part.
