Formulas to help Work, Rest & Play – Part 3
Here is my final installment for my formulas to help work rest and play.
Here are part 1 and part 2.
9. Remembering to spend time with my kids, and with others.
If life is your inspiration, then being lockedup in your house your studio, perfecting your technique or even keeping your house clean day after day probably wont inspire you or make you happy. It can be tempting when you have a deadline or a list a mile long to keep plugging away to try and get things done. I recently discovered to tell myself that the list can wait! The world wont crash down if MY list isnt completed.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is to get out, put a stop to your work and do nothing spend time with your family and friends. Its often hard for me to put work/tasks aside when there is sooo much to do. But i often feel very inspired when i make the time to do so and come be rejuvenated and with fresh ideas.
This works business wise as well, if your feeling down try a catchup with some other artists or artlovers or friends, attend an exhibition opening or meet up at a networking event, its so great to surround yourself with like minded people you will be more motivated for it!
10. Review your list often.
Life changes (dont i know it), goals change, sometimes you need to assess what you are doing and change it, keeping in mind though my previous point number 6. you need to remain focused don’t fall into the trap of changing things alot or you will never complete ANYTHING. But dont be afraid to say to yourself, you know what i REALLY could do this better or differently to make it better. A quarterly review is always good or monthly review to see what you have accomplished if you get some things done off your list you will feel great!
11. PAUSE !
This one is my last one as i am trying to deal with it right now and i need to remember it.
It kinda ties into my point no. 6 again about focusing on the right tasks.
Before launching myself into a new task or project or website update or blog update or even sending designs or an email off to a client i am learning to PAUSE. I just sit on it for could be a few minutes or a day or delaying a project (like updating my website) for a couple of months.
Pausing can make sure you are saying exactly what you need to say, it can help you make sure you spend your time doing the right things instead of the wrong things, it can help you to see an artwork with fresh eyes and see just where your going wrong.
Pausing gives you the ability to change your mind, but also when the times comes to eg. update my gallery, i will have made notes from now until then about what i want to do, other sites i like, how i am going to structure it. What does it need to contain. That way when i am ready i am ready. 
Well here is the end of my raving, i hope some of these can help you in your process. If not maybe it passed some time in your busy day!
Tags: Art Business, Inspiration, life
September 28th, 2009 at 5:31 am
I have totally identified with this series! That last one is something I am trying to learn. Pausing to think it through again is a very important step…I do waste time when I haven’t taken time to let something simmer for a while. I was starting to think this week about makings some changes to my site – instead I decided to start making a list of things that occur to me, then I’ll review it in a while and see what really needs to be done!
I’m finding the same thing with painting – the painting I am currently working on, while I’m painting I keep thinking it’s all wrong, just quick try and fix it and be done with the whole thing. But, I keep stopping right there and walking away. The next morning, when I look at it – it’s still wrong, but not as bad as I thought and I usually have a better idea on how to fix it.
The Pause button, a powerful tool! Thanks again for this series Belinda, it is very encouraging.
September 30th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
This is a great series. I fall into the never finishing category. I agree with Rose that the “pause” is effective. Thanks for your reminders. Maybe now I will work on my list!