I shared my perfectionism conundrum Friday. Here’s my plan of attack.The Solution
I want to slow down and enjoy all the wonderful pursuits that form The Artful Crafter. I need to work more efficiently and be more decisive. This list of tactics is going up on my bulletin board right now.
I will:
• Deal with each e-mail as I open it and get it off my plate. I will not agonize so much over the wording and grammar of my replies.
• Schedule more involved e-mail questions on the website calendar, since they usually become new articles and projects.
• Check each in-box once in the morning and once at the end of the day, closing each after check-in to avoid temptation.
• Check Facebook once in the a.m. and close it. Facebook is fun, but what a time drain!
• Eliminate some of the free newsletters I’ve signed up for. I find myself reading the same information over and over just to be sure I don’t miss anything.
• Set aside at least an hour a day for art just for me.
If this works, by the end of the year I should have two or three hours a day for my art. Nirvana.
How about you? Do you have trouble fitting your personal art into your busy day?
P.S. Over the weekend, I unzipped and organized all 97 of the Scrap Girls digital freebies that snuck onto my computer somehow. It took 2 hours and 10 minutes to unzip and file them. Remind me not to do that again.
Today the freebies, tomorrow the world!
Oh Eileen, I am cracking up...the "Anti-Perfectionism Plan"...I love it. Years ago I used to make impossible "to-do" lists, I ALWAYS felt like a failure at the end of the day because I rarely crossed more than a few off my list every day, which, of course, only added up to more pressure (from myself, of course). Then, someone I knew offered the most simple advice..."Why not make a shorter list?"
ReplyDeleteIt was something I'd never thought of...being that first born over achiever. I argued the point at first, but then realized that, just maybe, feeling successful would be much better in the long run than feeling a failure. I put the plan into action, gave myself a list of five or so things I really wanted to get done, and sure 'nough...it wasn't long before I was feeling amazing because I could get them all done.
Now, I just am realistic. I can do what I can do, and that cannot include conquering the world in a day. I find I get more done, have a better feeling about what I do, and in general, just feel much happier about life.
I applaud you...and cannot wait to hear how much success you have with the plan!
Thanks for the words of wisdom, June. "Make a shorter list." Should I add that to my list? lol.
ReplyDeleteSo far, so good. It has been 4 days since I set the goal of 1 hour a day for my personal art and I've gotten in 3 hours and 35 minutes. Yes I am timing myself! How else would a perfectionist approach the situation?
Wow, sounds like a plan I should try too... Is it too late to change my New Year's resolution? :-) Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
ReplyDeleteHi Sherri!
ReplyDeleteI say it's never too late to make a change for the better. I'm not finding that extra hour for art every single day, but I'm definitely feeling less stressed.
By working to tame some of my online compulsions, I feel like I'm in control rather than the Internet.
I love your list!
ReplyDeleteLOL - I can so relate to this. I get so caught up in writing about my favorite craft and dealing with the supplies and shopping for supplies that I don't spend as much time crafting as I should. I am really trying to make more time to do that this year too.
ReplyDeleteI have a terrible time making time to make things. So much so that I've been noticing that I actually MADE very little this year, and the stuff that did get made was mostly work related or rushed for a deadline. My hope for 2010 is to get more created, and I'm working on making space in my home and in my schedule to do so. Good luck with your list! Many of the "getting things done" books I've read recommend scheduling email instead of letting it constantly interrupt you. There are days when "unplugged" sounds like a good plan. (Do they call that "off the grid"?)
ReplyDeleteLinda, you and I seem to be on the same page. Good luck to us both in finding more time for our art by "unplugging" in 2010.
ReplyDeleteMy new mantra is "I control my Internet use. The Internet does not control me." lol.
Ah... yes... how we find enough hours in the day.... whew!
ReplyDeleteOk, make a shorter list. I can DO that!!
ReplyDelete