Get Out Of The Traditional Work-mindset As A Creative

Working for yourself can have many advantages, one in particular is you choose your own work times. When you start work, how long you work for and what you actually do for the duration. Why would anyone not take advantage of that? Get Out Of The Traditional Work-Mindset As A Creative…

There’s space to fit your life around your work when self-employed. Allowing time to exercise, drop the kids off at school, or sneak out for a quick coffee catch-up with a pal.

But so many don’t do this, and instead use the rigid hours of a standard work day as their schedule.

Creativity Is Not Always A Guarantee

Being a creative person means you need to work with the ebbs and flows of your own creativity. You can’t be creative everyday – somedays yes, somedays no. But many creatives shape their days to reflect the traditional work expectation, assuming they can box-in their creative time…that’s not a good idea.

As a creative, I find myself sometimes caught up in feeling that I need to create a rigid regime, just so I can show I’m doing my bit. But how ridiculaous is that? I feel bad that I’m not on a traditional work day, that I will try my best to create it for myself anyway.

The Traditional Work Week

In 1926, Henry Ford announced the 8-hour, 5-day work week. This was a shock for many because other factories had their workers work 6 days a week for extensive hours a day.

But 100 years on, our lives are very different. Family life has changed – where once the mother would remain at home, now she’s likely out working those 40 hour work weeks too.

Should we still be continuing with the 40 hour work week or revaluate how long we need to work for?

The Starving Artist Is Meant To Feel Guilt, Right?

My story

When I had my fashion label, my routine consisted of – exercise in the morning, good breakfast, then ‘clock on’ for work by 8.30. It was a good habit, but as the gentle spring & summer months moved into harsh winter, getting up before 8.30 was hard work in itself! However instead of working with the seasons, I pushed myself to keep going. Eventually the things I did let go of (mainly my walk out in nature) upset my mindset and health. I believed it was more important to be in my studio than make time for fresh air and exercise.

I now see that I didn’t make the most of my situation. What I should have done was prioritise what inspired me – and incorporated that into my work day.

Instead, I got frustrated when I didn’t get all the ‘things’ ticked off from my list…and worked into the night, stressing over the time I had to make up. And if a family member or friend stopped by for a chat, I would anxiously look at the clock, wishing I was back to work.

I was my own boss, and I took that fact very seriously. So much so, that I think I was the worst boss I ever had!

Work Mindset

I concentrated on time – because everyone else worked those hours, and how dare I not suffer for my art?

So my mindset was to struggle for my art and not delight in having my own business – because I never enjoyed my work in the office…or really any other job I undertook before then.

But this was a strange mindset to have. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way – many creatives struggle with this guilt. The guilt bleeds into more producing…fixating on creating more and more to show you are making the most of every scrap of time you have, and thankful that you don’t need to work the traditional work week. But the stress of keeping up and creating can still lead to burnout.

I didn’t put priority on feeding my creativity. I just worked, without adding anything to my creative well…and eventually it dried up!

What feeds your creativity?

Do you notice that after watching a movie you find yourself pondering about life?

Or when you make time to enjoy a cup of tea and read a book, you find your mind is still and content?

Whatever it is that gives you creative energy, keep dipping into this – try to incorporate it into your day. You are not at a desk trying to make 5 sales with a manager looking at your progress! Ease up on the pressure. Working is great, but as a creative you need to fuel your creative fire.

It’s important to get work done but make time for your curiosity. I wish I did this more. I had so many ideas: I would sketch out new jackets and dresses, plan marketing and collaborations online..but then eventually it dried up. And I think because I stopped allowing myself ‘creative’ time, and instead would produce the clothing, go on social media and push my work…but left the biggest detail out – the drive behind the whole label.

Switch off the boss-voice in your head

My boss voice was very…bossy!

In order for me to have a ‘good day’ I would need to be productive – in particular, to make a sale, or gain a new potential client.

I was fixated on getting the product out there, that the love of designing and creating a new garment had disappeared. I had no time to experiment with different fabrics, and try out new colourways.

It was high time that I needed to make a living, to be taken seriously as a creative entrepreneur and show the world I could create my own empire.

What I thought was ‘I had no time’, but realistically, I had simply ‘not made the time’.

I could make my own decisions : I could work different days – go to a gallery to be inspired for an afternoon, meet up with a friend in a hipster market and just take in my surroundings.

Instead I put my head down so much that when I looked up I had nothing left to put into the business.

You can do what you want

Make the most of your time. You are doing what you love and that’s not a reason to feel guilty. Your friends may have that ‘traditional’ style of job, but that doesn’t mean you need to copy them with the same work schedule!

Make the most of your creative time, being conscious to feed your creative mind with curiousities. Being productive can have so many versions.

You may become inspired by seeing something on a spontaneous walk one day, which then inspires a whole book, collection, set of paintings or brings some detail to your work which you hadnt thought of before.

Don’t underestimate what can come from letting your mind wander.

If you are so focussed on making your business reflect the traditional work week, you might miss what feeds that creativity in the first place.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Do you find yourself working the same hours as when you worked in the corporate world? Perhaps you left that world to pursue your creative passion, eager to set your own times..but it’s still not happening? Comment below and let me know how you manage your creative work-life balance.

If you enjoyed this, have a look at my previous posts such as – Small Steps Can Make You Happier Everyday