Now that I’ve gone off about making art versus making excuses and told the world why I create, I heard from a friend who basically said that while it’s fine for me to take time to work on my art, she can’t, because she has a family and she works too much and…and…and…

I stopped listening after a couple of sentences. I want to help, but if she’s determined not to create, there’s nothing I can do. In the ten minutes she took to tell me how busy she is and how she wishes she could write a book, she could have written a page or two, or posted a blog entry. Or taken a few photos. You get the idea.

It’s a myth that being creative takes huge chunks of uninterrupted time. I’ve had it both ways. I’ve worked full time while also working on my writing and photography. For the past few months, I haven’t been working (or have only been working part time). I get more work done when I have to be at work at least a few days of the week.

I find myself making more excuses and getting less done when I have a lot of free time. My brain tells me I have all day, so I waste time on Facebook or Pinterest, or maybe I spend a day of good weather on laundry and vacuuming. Then it’s time to go to sleep, and I’m pissed off at myself because I accomplished nothing. Zero words written, no photos taken.

I know all the tricks a mind can play when it’s time to get to work – especially something that I love so much that it never feels like work. It feels like there’s NO WAY you can work until you have an iced mocha latte, but the latte craving is just an excuse. Sometimes you have to force your brain to get into creative mode, sort of like how you stuff a toddler into a snow suit.

Some days I do have the luxury of doing nothing but working on my creative projects. Other days, all I can do is pull over on the way home to take a couple photos. I’ve learned to make do with the time I have.

That you create is more important than how much time you have to create. If you have five minutes, use it. Take a photo, write a paragraph. None of us have time, but we can all make time – if we consider art important enough.

Like this post? Use the buttons to the left to share it!