It seems like lately I’ve been busier than ever, and staying on top of it all without becoming stressed can be a daunting task.
Fortunately, there’s a secret to being organized and happy, and I want to share it with you as we go into 2018.
Watch the video and let me know what you think – how do you manage everything in your life?
Have a great night this New Year’s Eve and an even greater 2018!
In gratitude, Nicholas
PS I’m starting my free online workshop soon and I would love to have you participate – plus it’s a great way to kick off the new year! To register, just go to www.artlifejoy.com
59 Comments
Hi! I’m
Nicholas Wilton
the founder of Art2Life.
With over 20 years experience as a working artist and educator, I’ve developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process.
Join me and artists from all over the world in our Free Art2Life Artists Facebook Group or learn more here about Art2Life.
Thanks for bringing up this topic! It so applies at times. Your solution is so logical, yes, how else could we solve the mountain of stuff but one topic at the time.
Thanks!
Meike
Very well said. Thanks
I think this is great. I get so overwhelmed with working a full time job, trying to paint, dealing with marketing my paintings/classes, and learning about marketing. I did the ASK workshop and I haven’t even finished it. I’m also in Alexis’s group. I find I have such a hard time juggling and then my painting suffers….well you get the picture. I’ve been on the academy only once in the last few months. My plan is to just try and back up and be where I’m at. I’m learning a lot but I need to be where I’m at.
I’m going to try to juggle this way…Running my little gallery recently leaves no time to paint….So, my New Years resolution is to find a balance….thanks for renewing this vow! Happy New Year!
Super helpful for someone who gets overwhelmed easily. I think having a list of everything of that needs to get done, prioritizing it & putting it in bite sized chunks, an hour at a time makes life much more manageable and stress free! Thank you Nicolas! Always enjoy Sunday mornings listening to you. Have an amazing New Years!!
This is one of my little aims for the coming year! To have set times for things. Thanks
Once again you hit the nail on the head Nick…..such a simple idea but often hard to implement, being able to give over to one or the other at a particular time is the key. Happy New Year to you and your family, and i look forward to hearing your wise words next year also! cheers, Linda
Thanks Nick .. that’s great. ONE hour is all it takes to really make a difference when you’re super focused, on a work of art! ONE hour. It’s amazing really. So I often think, well if I can do that much in an hour … imagine what a few hours would bring … with the required “get up and move around” implemented of course. Thanks! Looking forward to your online workshop. I like the way you think, and you’ve got a lot of wisdom about creating art!
Great advice again Nick. Yes the lists are always there and you are right, we never get it all done. An hour here and there is a great way to approach it. Thanks again and a Happy New Year to you and your family
That was a great thing for you to share. It is I think my biggest battle and you seem so relaxed about it. I seem to go on a bit of a guilt trip if I am painting that there are other things to tend too and when I am doing those things I feel guilty for not giving my time to painting. Aaaah! For next year I have made a plan of the hours I paint and the hours I do business stuff. Hopefully it will help although it all seems to fall down when I then have an appointment or something that breaks into my schedule. I seem to say good bye to the schedule so quickly. Does this happen with you or have you pretty much got a habit of how the day is broken down? Thanks for your posts and Happy new year.
Happy New Year Nick! Great tips. Like you I also get a lot of questions about how I do it all…and it definitely is overwhelming for me at times. Your idea that it can actually be refreshing to go back and forth with tasks is a positive and helpful attitude. Anyway–l few of my own tips: I rely on lists and when a list gets really long I separate things into categories or boxes (literally, I sometimes diagram them that way.) This has the effect of calming and organizing my thoughts. Like you I also break things into do-able chunks of time. Especially when I am procrastinating about something, like book-keeping or answering backlogs of email, I tell myself to give whatever it is just an hour and that I’m free to stop after that. But usually once I’m going, I continue on to a logical stopping point–it’s a good way to overcome procrastination. One last thing–a long time ago I started scheduling appointments, get-togethers, exercise etc. for late afternoon whenever possible. For me it is important not to break up the day too much with stuff that requires going somewhere. Then I can focus on the bulk of the day without interruption.
Yes, very good advice! Thank you. I recently also found very helpful to make sure I allowed myself some time for all those other things that need to be done once I’m finished with the actual painting. I’ve been completing lots of paintings, but neglecting many of the things that need to be done in order to make each one of those pieces more “gallery ready” So simple, yet I couldn’t see how this was holding me back because of course I didn’t feel “ready,” I felt overwhelmed. Getting caught up now and starting to experience a little more of that “can do feeling” I’ve been lacking. Thanks so much. Happy New Year!
Thank you so much for the simple but true advice, not just today, but always. You are very generous. Happy New Year.
One of of best things about your video help is simply knowing we artists are not alone. Thanks Nicolas! Happy New Year!🎨
Simple but effective. Thanks for this.
OMG you are so smart! and you really hit the nail on the head for me!! I try to do too much at once in my head. I will follow your lead in 2018 and give myself an hour each day for just ART! Happy New Year Nick…see you on the other side 🙂
Thank you so much for all of your advice!!!!
Here’s to a great 2018 for you also! One thing at a time, hour chunks, make everything do-able and less stressful, Thanks!
Fantastic advice as usual! Thanks Nicholas, love your art and appreciate what you do for the rest of us. Happy New Year!
Nicola
(Jane is my “quiet” FB account for when I need a breather — missmoxie.ca is my website). 😉
Happy New Year to you!
And thank you for the great reminder. I get totally overwhelmed when I try and do everything at once. Even when my studio is in disarray, I am sidetracked by the mess, so that is part of the business that I need to take care of.
One hour … I can do that … and check something off my list!
Thank you!
Happy New Year guys! I love the phrase ‘beautiful compliment’, which thinking about this phrase is so true. I’ve always thought the administrative side of my business is centering and grounding. Often is calms the high anxiety part of my being! See ya’ll in 2018!
That was a brilliant answer! I love your insights and your willingness to share. Happy New Year to you! I receive much benefit from your videos.
It’s been my policy to try to do some art everyday, even if it’s only a sketch or two. I’ve been reading that first thing in the morning your brain is functioning the best. So my new policy is to paint for the first two hours of the day, my most productive time. The bill paying and other business can wait until the afternoon. Thank you for all your videos. They are so helpful. Have a wonderful New Year.
Another great idea to keep us moving forward. Thanks for all you share. I’ve really enjoyed your videos and blogs. Happy New Year!!
Happy New Year to you, Nick! Thanks for ALL the incredibly insightful and practical advice throughout the year. Your Sunday vlogs are always a “save” amidst all the “deletes” in my email inbox! They are such a nice way to reinforce everything I learned from the CVP program and keep me feeling connected.
I know you must hear this all the time, but the CVP program really changed my life. Thanks to your gentle and relatable approach, I can finally say, after all these years, I have a sustainable daily art practice.
You and the CVP community gave me the confidence to put myself out there. Now, when asked, I can say matter-of-factly, without turning beet-red, “Yes, I am a painter.” It’s just feels normal!
Yay! Happy New Year！
Hearing how well your art practice is going is super wonderful
to hear…thank you for telling me! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year…and thanks for ALL the good advice during the year. When things other than art begin to make me stressed I take a full day to ‘tidy’ up all the paperwork, do some outstanding chores, and generally make room in my mind for a few hours in the studio. It’s worth it.
Hey Happy New Year @jo@disqus_PytQsp0vII:disqus
Happy New Year, Nick, and thanks for all the great posts! As you spoke here, I could see how I’ve combined the different demands by not being more direct about how I deal with them. I spend a lot of energy avoiding them because of feeling overwhelmed. For example, I think: how can I work on my art project when I haven’t done (fill in the blank)? And I drag my feet about (fill in the blank) because I’d rather be painting, so neither get done! By defining the specific time and amount of time spent on those different areas, I see how easy and even elegant it can become to deal with them and not feel overwhelmed. Thank you!
Yep, it is the only way I can even think about it all! Happy New Year @lau@disqus_ky8qo2ZNMJ:disqus
Thank you once again for a simple but brilliant piece of advice. I plan to start a notebook of all your simple brilliant ideas so I don’t lose track! I am retired as of tomorrow and have many “lifetime access” art classes I’ve already purchased. Now I have time to access them but was overwhelmed by the time management involved. After watching this, and the video about break times, my plan is to limit myself to two classes at a time, two contrasting courses – one ethereal faces, another total abstract for example. Blue sky, bill paying, wipe down the kitchen counter time in between. Thank you. No longer feeling overwhelmed! You contribute so very much, to the well being of an amazing number of creative people. As one of them, I thank you very much, and wish you a productive and enjoyable new year, for you and yours.
Hey Robin–thank you and Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Nick! Thanks for all your 2017 wisdom and wishing you a wonderful 2018.
I do a similar kind of chunking to what you describe here but I also have a shorter time for creating preplanned. This stops me from having a day without creating when things get really busy. I have a half hour block when I first get up and use it for specific creative work, like working in my sketchbook. This means I spend my day with the wonderful creative afterglow no matter what develops during the day.
Happy New Year Jan!
#truth:-) Happy New Year!!
You too @ra@raveonstudio:disqus !
I agree….separate the head stuff and the heart stuff….
Happy new year Nick and everyone at art2life 😘
I took this shot in a carpet shop in Morocco..your painting reminded me of it….. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6019907e01bb6c5b597071a71725ef2ed96531d489150d0eb34eef0b63b35a42.jpg
Yes, time management is so critical. I’ve been retired about a year and a half, and keeping a schedule is the only way to be productive. My weekly calendar includes specific time slots for exercise, creativity, entrepreneurial tasks, housekeeping, family obligations, and dream time/inspiration. I am so much more productive with this calendar as my guide.
Thank you so much for all your generosity and wisdom in 2017 Nic. Your videos have felt like a cheerleader from the sidelines and I have felt the comfort and company of a fellow traveller. Wishing you a wonderful, inspiring and creative 2018.
Thank you for your helpful videos and writings this year. Especially thanks for your generosity. Happy New Year!
Nick…thank you for finding the time to share your tips, both professionally and personally….I hope you receive as much from all of your fans and students, both in reality and virtually, as we do from you…really appreciate all you do!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f2cbd42fe06bef03106e8cf3dd8f959566f3c411e7c1e4ca01ac531c97b4c390.png Thanks for all you share! Happy New Year! Your words are so true. I had a big project and I found an excel spreadsheet for your ideal work week. It helped me during crunch time. I know my personality and that worked for a month, but the concept is still basically the same of doing one thing at a time. Most of the time things get done quicker than we expect, it is idea of starting/doing the work that sometimes holds us back. I really appreciate all you do and love your work! All my best for you and your family in 2018!
Nick,
Thanks for the best year ever!! Taking your workshop on-
line pushed my art into a new, exciting direction and I am thankful for that. Wishing you the best in 2018 and keep on doing your great art, informative videos, transformative workshops, helpful tips, awesome instruction… running out of adjectives!!! You get the point!!! Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Nicholas for all your helpful tips and inspiration! I am border line ADD and keeping myself focused is my number one challenge. I often go through a day forgetting to put myself in front of my canvas. So 2018 will be more organized for me and less stressful:) Cheers !!
i do all my yucky bills on wednesday afternoon. the rest of the week is for fun stuff. works for me
Keep up the good work, have a great new year!
Great advice. My problem is actually getting TO the business side of things. I’m terrible about that, but it has to be done. I know you’re right about keeping them separate. There’s no way I could paint and worry about business stuff. I love your Sunday visits, Nicholas. I hope a lot of my friends signed up for the free workshop; I’ve been spreading the word. I signed up, too! 🙂
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Thanks for all your helpful advice this past year. This is weird but I was stuck on which direction to go in my next painting and I dreamed that you were visiting my studio and was looking at my painting. Your dream self told me to go with colors I normally don’t use. Very excited about this painting Now.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Einstein Such a perfect share to end the year. Einstein
Today I have the day off and so I have planned a little of this and a little of that and a little of something else. Important thing is just got to keep moving.
Thank you for all your videos Nicholas. I enjoy each and everyone!
Happy New Year ~
Brilliant, as usual. How can one single person have such an amazing impact on so many people? You have a beautiful gift and the fact that you are sharing it in such a big way is just really beyond words for me. Thank you in the biggest way I can say. Happy New Year to you and your team!
You teach so much by example- really appreciate how honest you are, sharing all your feelings & whatever you’re experiencing…definitely want to take a course with you, even if our style of artmaking is very different. Much Joy in 2018 to you & all!
ok when you slapped that AT&T bill onto your painting and said “this is stressful” I just burst out laughing! Thank you for sharing such relevant and fun and helpful info in your own unique way! Happy New Year –
here’s to a creative, productive and joyful 2018.
Happy New Year to you and yours Nicholas! A big THANK YOU for all that you do & share.
Thank you for reminding me about focus! 🙂 Take care and STAY POSITIVE!
Hi Nic, I woke at 4am overwhelmed by all the different things I have to do and how I’m not doing the one thing I’d really like to do. And how on earth to remedy this. I decided to rise early, make some tea and some sense of my life. I saw your email, Thank you. I did your course last year, hopeful I would paint. I did for a few weeks but I didn’t continue. I think it’s still with me though niggling away. I’ll continue to listen to you, with thanks and hope. I’ve never posted a comment before so thought I’d step out of my comfort zone and make a change. Look forward to hearing from you again. Happy New Year!
Great points. And I’m really liking what you are doing in the painting behind you to your left! (Viewers right)
Happy New Year Nic! Your generosity in teaching and sharing knowledge is unmatched. Here’s to another wonderful, creative and prosperous new year! Cheers!
What a wonderful message and a much needed reminder especially for me today! I spent hours last night in pure bliss of creating only to wake to a laundry list of the ‘other’ life chores today. I’m very committed to giving myself even as little as 10 minutes a day to work on my art, and I found myself feeling crabby this morning trying to decide where I will steal those moments from the day. So happy I decided to ‘stall’, or better yet, breathe, a few minutes and watch your video. I will channel creativity today somewhere calmly tucked into a quiet space between the rest of the crazy. Thank you so much!
I’m coming in late to this discussion yet I wanted to contribute. I have a full time job in addition to my full time art life. I’m sure there are many people who can relate. I’ve found that I don’t attach time to a stop in my studio. It seems to derail me, if I say well you have 10 minutes and what could you do then, so let’s just check Instagram instead. This is usually in the morning as I’m getting ready for work. Instead I take that 10 minutes and perhaps I’m just creating a collage or a very small work but it gives me great satisfaction to allot that small bit of time to creating something. I think it also helps me to start my day in a better frame of mind, than just stressing out over getting ready for work.