After a long day at a full-time job, it's often hard to find the motivation to come back home and get down to work again. I know, because I've been doing this side hustle thing for a few years now. And over the years, I've figured out some small things that make it easier to find the time (and the motivation) to work on my art in spite of a full-time job. Keep reading to know what works for me!
Don’t write off small chunks of time. Instead of spending them doom scrolling on your phone, keep a list of things to do art-wise which are not necessarily time-consuming. For example, I planned this blog during my breaks at work. Once the planning was done, writing it took just about 30 mins.
Make lists. When you’re juggling multiple things, I have found it to be easier to commit a thought/idea/chore to the list and then forget about it till I get more time to come back to it.
I usually work on my art early in the mornings when the family is asleep. So I set out the supplies etc. the night before so that in the morning, all I have to do is freshen up and get right down to painting.
Weekends are when I am able to devote the most time to drawing so I make sure to plan ahead - what piece I will be working on, what content I need to record etc. This way, I don’t waste much of the precious weekend on planning.
I keep the less interesting parts of art (sketching, planning a piece, admin work etc.) for weekdays so that I am able to bring my most relaxed weekend self to the actual painting part.
Carry a notebook/use your notes app on the phone to jot down random thoughts. You never know when inspiration strikes and you don’t want to miss out on a good idea just because you had nowhere to put it down.
Be consistent, even if all that you can manage is 10 mins every day.
Outsource/delegate whatever tasks you can - don’t fall into the trap of wanting to do it all on your own. I have help for managing the household tasks which frees up a lot of my time to devote to art.
Prioritization is key. Set clear goals regarding the direction in which you want your art to go and then work on it. Slow and steady.
But most of all, don’t forget to have fun. Sustaining a side hustle is not going to be easy but if you love it and enjoy it, it’ll be a hustle you’ll look forward to.