Time Management

When I mentor artists the issue of time management always comes up.

What's are the best systems for keeping a schedule? How do I get into the studio and get work done? Then there's all the other tasks that must get done to support the work.

When left to our own devices, as self-employed artist who make our own hours, time can slip by, leaving us feeling like nothing has been accomplished.

I'll confess, I am a bit of a time junkie myself.  I've tested many different methods and made up some of my own to squeeze the most out of every day.  Here's what's worked...

Google Calendar – It took me a long time to give up my paper calendar. In fact, when I started using Google Calendar, I kept a paper calendar too because I didn't trust it. I have since come to rely 100% on Google Calendar, welcome the '30 minute heads-up' notifications and like the way it allows me to create different types of sub-calendars for different activities i.e.. studio, teaching, exercise etc.  I also appreciate that I can share my calendar with my spouse which makes planning our social life easier. Every night before bed, I check to be sure I know what's coming up the next day so I can sleep on it and be mentally prepared.

Monthly Calendar - I keep a one page monthly calendar on my laptop where I include deadlines like grants and residency applications that come up annually.  If I need to forgo a deadline because I'm busy that month, at least I know it will come around again the next year.  This also allows for more long-term planning.  If I have a solo exhibit approaching, or an involved project, I know that grant writing or big proposals will be impossible.  Or, if I have some flexibility with my time, I can plan to tackle a more involved submission or take on something in advance.

Daily Time Tracker - This is where the nitty-gritty shakes out. I started with this 'sunburst' calendar where I logged in whatever I did in each waking hour. It worked well, but there wasn't enough room for my entire to-do list and I didn't like re-writing the to-do list every day.

New & Improved Daily Time Tracker - This system worked great because I could use it for an entire week. I also liked it because I could fold it in quarters and write more to-do lists on the blank back side.  Can you tell I like to-do list?  I especially like crossing things off!  This tracker was good for accountability, but the problem was that I didn't do anything with all the information I collected.  

Timesheets - Then, I had this brilliant idea to create an app for my phone that allowed me, or anyone, to log in and track the hours spent on a variety of different projects and tasks.  I wish I could tell you I did this and made a ton of dough because I created an app, but instead I realized I wasn't the first person to think of this brilliant idea.  It already exists.  I've been testing it out and I like it a lot!  I'm using Tsheets and it's free if you're the only one using it.  There are others.  

Here's how it's working… for every category-activity-project, I've create a project time sheet.  When I begin a new task, I log in to that "project". Right now I'm logged into "Blog". When I've completed writing this blog I will "clock out". Perhaps I will then clock in to "email".  What I'm liking about the timesheet system is that it keeps me on task, rather than zigzagging from one task to the next, because I know the time is ticking.  Having a system of accountability for your time, that keeps you from staying on social media too long or going into your photo file to get an image only to, one hour later find yourself down the rabbit hole, is a problem.  Now I can see how much time every week I'm spending in my studio, teaching, prepping for teaching, consulting, on email, social media, blogging, planning a sculpture race, exercising, whatever I create a 'project' category for.  

Let me know if you use any of these systems, how it works out, which you like.  And if nothing else, at least Carpe Diem!