Creating a Time Management System as an Artist
Hi,
May was a bit soggy and cold in the mornings. I welcome the sogginess and the break from the chill as we slide into summer. Do you experience the summer sluggishness too? It feels like the summer heat slows me down. Do you have any unusual summer activities to stay cool? I could use some tips.
I've been wearing many hats while my daughter is out of school and we wait for a procedure in a few months. She's doing great at home but can't attend school without being ill every day. What has helped me navigate this new normal has been the intention to find ways to simplify where possible. For me, it always starts with asking questions. Is this something I want to be doing? Do I feel empowered and energized by it? Or is there a different way I can do this to feel empowered and energized even when I don't want to do it but have to?
I'm back at balancing working, parenting, homeschooling, and life. My days look more like a Tetris puzzle of time blocks than a straight line. If you also have a lot of plates in the air, I recommend listening to the teachings of psychologist Ned Hallowell. Ned is a psychologist who specializes in ADHD. I find that his recommendations can work for everyone.
I've been using his concept of 3's to help me stay on track. I've customized Ned's insight and designed a system for myself to stay more focused on my yearly milestones. Usually, my eyes are bigger than my stomach because I want to do it all and get easily distracted.
3 MIMS
MIMS is what I call the Most Important Milestones. I don't like the words "task," "to do's." They make me feel pressured and sound vague. The word mile stone makes me feel empowered and has a sense of forward movement.
To try this, see the below example of how I use it. I make sure each MIM supports one other.
3 MIMS a year:
• #1 MIM (what I work towards daily if possible and want to reach by the end of the year with specific numerical data, ex: 12 new portfolio pieces in black and white)
• #2 MIM (what I work on at least once a week or when I need a mental break from #1, ex: organize hard drive)
• #3 MIM (what I work on at least once a month simply to make progress, ex: book outline)
The first and most challenging part for me was choosing ONLY 3 milestones. I've pruned projects and set them aside to infuse more energy into a small number of things.
3 MIMS a month:
At the beginning of every month, I review my progress on my yearly milestones. I break down each month into week-blocks and pick three things I can realistically progress on for a month. Breaking down months into week-blocks helps me to stay more realistic with how much I can do in 7 days.
3 MIMS a week:
Every Monday, I pick 3 MIMS to support progress on my monthly MIMS.
3 MIMS a day:
Every morning (after coffee), I decide on 1-3 MIMS to work towards for the day. I recommend starting small to build the habit. Ex: wake up an hour earlier or go to bed an hour earlier. Daily MIMS are small actions that keep the momentum. It's super important to track your progress so you can SEE you're making progress. I use a bullet journal, originally introduced to me by artist Laine Nixon.
How small actions create this letter: I work on these monthly letters a bit at a time instead of all at once. So 20 minutes here and 20 minutes there add up to make this letter every month.
