It has been a super busy last 3 weeks. I've signed up for a mentorship program with Jennifer Lee, author of the Right Brain Business Plan, and I've also organized my first workshop offering entitled, "Go With the Flow - How to Paint a Mermaid". We're only one week into the mentorship and I feel it is exactly what I need to grow my business. I want to focus my attention and energies on the tasks that I need to do to make my art business FLOURISH! I want to offer it my full committment.
But, I still have a family, a household, a part-time job, and a studio that needs attention...and a workshop baby that is part of this success that I want to create. As always, I feel that everything happens for a reason, and this workshop is happening at the perfect time as the phrase "go with the flow" has been running through my mind as I navigate through all the things that need to be done. It has become my mantra...gowiththeflowgowiththeflowgowiththeflow. Sometimes I grab onto it's tail as the minutes, hours, and days swirl away.
So how do you go with the flow when you are feeling overwhelmed? Here are some helpful tips that I've been using that seem to help.
1) Stop using the phrase "I don't have enough time." We all have the same amount of time. It's what we fill it with and how we use it that is different. Plus, if you keep saying it, you are creating that in your future. Switch your words to "I have plenty of time." And then begin to manage your time by creating a schedule.
2) Write down what is important to you, what you really want to devote your time to. You don't have to schedule every minute, but you will be able to see clearly whether you are really devoting time to making your dream real or whether you are wandering around just wishing. And you will be surprised how you will be able to enjoy your FREE time as your mind can take a break and be present in it rather than being pulled here and there wondering what needs to be done next. Google Calendar offers a convenient option, but you can always go traditional with a wall calendar if you like paper and pics of the ocean or cute puppies. Experiment with what works best for you and USE IT.
2) Edit, declutter, slough it off. Whatever you want to call it, rearrange it or get rid of it! IT is whatever is getting in your way. Pay attention to how you are moving throughout your day. Are you gracefully, efficiently going with the flow? Or are you darting back and forth, taking the same steps over and over?
If you are spending 30 minutes figuring out what to wear, it's time to go through your closet and get rid of what doesn't fit you anymore, both physically AND emotionally. You want to be able to move freely, get rid of anything that is too tight or too loose. It is slowing you down.
If you can't find what you are looking for in your studio, it's time to declutter. You can't do it ALL. Ask yourself what you are truly being drawn to work on at this time and focus on that. Go through and get rid of the yarn if you aren't going to knit...get rid of the beads if you aren't going to bead. All of that stuff is getting in the way of what you really want to do. It is holding you back.
Is your office just a place to store the piles? Even with all of our electronic advancements, the paper can get out of control quickly. I'm learning to handle items only once. Put things where they need to go instead of "I'll file it later". Ask the question, "Do I really need this?" and have a wastebasket handy. Spend 10 minutes a day clearing, working quickly and deliberately. That 10 minutes can free up an hour of time. I don't exactly know how it works, but it does.
As you begin to lighten your load, you will feel it much easier to keep the momentum going. You will experience a mind shift and begin to notice when something is dragging you down and how simple changes can allow you to move through your world with ease and go with the flow.
