All artists suffer from procrastination, it is a natural part of life as an artist. Seasoned artists adopt clear strategies for being prolific. Use these tips to be more successful and start getting things done.
- Overcome your Fear. Procrastinating is simply a way of dealing with pressure. Your mind will give you lots of reasons not to start the work, such as you need to set aside a longer period of time for this piece, or superficial excuses and distractions. Shift your mindset to taking consistent action, no matter how small. In the words of the famous author Susan Jeffers, Feel the Fear and do it Anyway. Reframe it by taking only 15 minutes to sketch ideas or noting down your inspiration. Once you have started it is easier to keep going.
- Mastery by Creating Bad Art. Commit to a set amount of time to practice and develop new skills. Let go of the pressure of producing ‘perfect’ art and just enjoy the process without being concerned about the end goal. Set aside 30 minutes daily to solely focus on practicing techniques.
- Remind yourself of your Why? Every great artist has a reason or point in their life when they decided that this would be their career path. Think back to what motivated you originally and your purpose. Once you feel inspired and grateful, your fear and procrastination will disappear.
- Make it a Habit. Lock it in your Schedule. If it’s in your diary, you will do the work. Get in the studio, lock the door and switch off your phone.
- Join a Network or Community. You will feel more supported with like-minded peers, who will elevate you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or be curious about how they achieved their level of success.
- Swallow the Frog. Make a list of your most important tasks and start with the most difficult one. After you have achieved that, you are already set up for a successful day and momentum is easier.
- Delegate Work or Non-art Creation Tasks. Gain support or employ others as much as possible, so you can prioritise creating art.
- Get an Accountability Partner. Ideally, find someone who you can check-in with daily and report to on progress and challenges.
- Reward Yourself for Getting it Done. When you finish a tough project, celebrate! Give yourself credit for a job well done and treat yourself.
- Procrastinate productively, if all else fails. If you are going to avoid creating art, try to instead do something that will still have a positive impact. Such as swap your time to doing another art business-related activity, such as dealing with clients or marketing.