Staying Productive in the Studio During COVID

During COVID it is easy to get off track and if I am being honest, I have definitely not been as productive as I could be. With my first grade daughter learning virtually and homeschooling my PreK son, time is limited. In this blog I am sharing strategies that I am implementing to be more productive this year while juggling all the other responsibilities of being a business owner, mom, and homeowner. These principles can be applied to anyone's day to help find focus and get things done.

1. Set Specific Times to Accomplish Tasks
My time blocking is for studio time. Yours might be for computer work. Whatever you are trying to accomplish, set specific times in your day when you plan to work on that task. For me, I need to work uninterrupted and the best times to accomplish painting is early in the morning before my children wake up or at night after I put them to bed. I was in a groove of working in the studio until I finished my last artwork. I tried to start a new painting but then quickly fell into the "lazy nights" trap. I am fighting back with reintroducing specific studio times to work on my paintings.

2. Make a List and Stick To It
My best friend is my planner. I joke that my lists have lists (which is actually very accurate). But in all seriousness, make a list! I like to start my week by creating a complete list of things that I need to do: phone calls, emails, errands, blog posts, appointments, etc in my planner and then assign each task to a specific days that I know I can get those things completed. This is also a good strategy for accomplishing a big task throughout the week. Break it up into manageable steps and assign each step to a day of the week. By Sunday, you will be surprised by what you can accomplish!

3. Be Consistent and Find Accountability
This tip goes hand-in-hand with making a list. If you make a list and stick with it, you will create consistency. Even if you can only dedicate 30 minutes to an hour to your desired task everyday, it truly adds up when you are consistent. 

Another important aspect about being consistent is finding a way to stay accountable for your efforts. Some people use a friend or mentor to check in with and report their progress. But if you don't have that, hold yourself accountable. I usually use Instagram stories as a way to stay accountable and show progress.

I hope you have found this blog post helpful and applicable to some aspect in your life. Please leave a comment below with any questions you may have!

How I Use a Planner

Using a planner is a great way to stay on track and reach your goals. I have always used a planner for college and then continued utilizing a planner when I started my own business. In this blog post I want to share how I use one to plan and achieve my studio goals. I choose to use The Happy Planner and really enjoy the lined vertical layout. Below is a weekly page layout and what I write in each section. 

I like to start my week by creating a complete list of things I need to do: phone calls, emails, errands, blog posts, appointments, etc on the left side of the planner. I also plan out my social media posts for the week at the bottom of that same section. After I completed my entire to do list, I break it down and assign the tasks to specific days of the week. Some days I always do certain things. For example, on Tuesday I publish my new blog posts. However, some items on my list depends on the weather (I save grocery shopping for sunny days) or when I can complete similar tasks on the same day. I hope you find this helpful and please feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comments section.

Looking Ahead to 2018

It's always exciting starting a new year! After reflecting on the past year, it is natural to look ahead at the new possibilities to focus on as the new year begins. I have a lot of artistic plans and events for 2018 and thought I'd organize some my thoughts and ideas into a blog post to share with you.

I would like to continue to develop my acrylic painting portfolio in 2018. I plan to create paintings of vintage trucks, local landscapes, and depicting the various seasons we are so fortunate to experience. However, I also want to stretch my artistic muscles and explore different mediums as well.  This year I would like to revisit my original medium of choice: drawing. I thought a great way to do that is through a 30 day drawing challenge where I will create a drawing everyday for one month. I even thought I could share the process of the drawing challenge via social media live feeds. I am hoping it will provide me the opportunity to be more creative, fulfill my need to teach,  and reach a different audience that I have previously with my paintings.

I will be a participating artist in the 10th Annual Salem County Arts in Bloom Studio Tour. While I was reflecting where I was 10 years ago in my artistic career, I realized that it was at that time that I began studying to become an art educator. I decided to do a retrospective exhibition this year to provide the studio tour goers a look at where I started and how I have developed. I will have collections of drawings and paintings from college assignments as well as my first acrylic paintings that have not been on display before. I am really looking forward to putting this exhibition together to share with everyone!

This year I also plan to design a "Hometown Collection" of artwork and home goods featuring local towns and recognizable landmarks. My hope is to instill pride in local residents and to provide people who grew up here but have since moved the opportunity to reminisce. I am looking for input for my Hometown Collection of South Jersey Towns. To share your input and opinions on towns and landmarks I should include, please click here. I would greatly appreciate it! I plan to have the collection debut during the Arts in Bloom Studio Tour and then available online and locally at retail stores.

I am looking forward to 2018 and sharing my creations with you along the way. 

As always, thank you for your support!