Time compromise
Sunday, January 6th, 2008
The past few weeks have been very busy for me. My insane schedule has forced me to make a choice. I can either spend a good portion of my time of writing about my art, or I can spend a good portion of my time making art.
I’ve chosen to make art.
First there were the holidays followed immediately by working extra hours. In addition, I’ve had to block in time for eating, bathing, sleeping, spending time with friends and religious obligations. The result has been a large decrease in blogging. I hope to remedy this soon.
Because I’ve had to make some hard choices, I realized that the majority of people out there have to make the same exact choice every day.
There are accountants who keep an art studio for the weekends and stay-at-home moms who write when their children are down for naps. In our modern society, everyone has to compromise to truly be happy.
In a new year’s post, Jummie writes about setting craft goals; the advice has helped me balance out my life and my hectic schedule. Every night after work, I sit down, turn on the TV, and knit for a set time. I try to write a minimum amount each day and once a week I get a few hours of improve acting under my belt with friends.
For 2008, I’m setting a challenge for everyone: look at your schedule and find the spot set aside for playtime. It might be oil painting. It might be reading a novel for a half hour each day. It might be taking pictures of the world around you. Is there even such a spot in your busy week? Is your schedule so rigid there’s no room for a spontaneous walk or sketch?
Sandra Williams of Parenting Under the Stars blogs about balancing spontaneity and scheduling. Though it’s aimed at parents, the advice is universal.
Spending time with fun, mind-expanding activities is high on my priority list and keeps me happy, I think it would work for you, too.
