“There is never enough time to do everything but there is always enough time to do the most important things”
Time management is one of the ways you can reduce stress and achieve more in shorter or according to set deadlines. But in the wake of the coronavirus disease, it has been even more difficult to catch up with time due to the different psychological circumstances in play.
In the past months after the ease of the Covid19 lockdown in different parts of the world (Nigeria), we have had the opportunity to interview different professional artists and one thing that keeps springing up in the session is how they are starting to have so much to do while there is a very little time available to execute them.
This is understandable knowing the fact that there was not much to do during the covid19 lockdown all of which have stored up to be done now that the world has reopened. Nonetheless, that is a good thing.
However, one thing we will never forget that the covid19 outbreak taught everyone is the importance of creating and spending time with family.
But as a (professional) artist with lots of exhibition, commission works, and personal art-project deadlines, how do you manage your time so well that you still have enough to spend with family and friends during the special days left in the year?
The answers you will find in the following paragraphs.
Make a list of all you have to do:
You need to, first of all, create time to jot down in a notepad or an excel document the different tasks or activities you have lined up for the day, month, or year as the case may be.
The problem of inefficient time management usually is that there is so much to do that you can’t keep up with. And sometimes it is possible that you don’t even remember a more urgent task that you should start a long time ago but eventually, when you are reminded of such a task, you realize that there is little or no time to accomplish them.
In the end, you have no choice but to sacrifice family time to execute those kinds of projects. So, this step should not be skipped. As you get projects, ensure to document them somewhere dedicated for such purpose; with the date, days, and possible time of expected delivery.
The essence is so you have an idea of your entire project and leave none behind in the process of planning how you are going to utilize your time in line with the work you have lined up to be done.
Arrange the tasks in order of importance:
Carrying out the first step above, means you have an idea of the majority if not all the projects or tasks you have to deliver in specified time and dates.
In this stage, however, you would have to in order of importance arrange and rearrange as soon as time and dates change the most important and urgent of the projects or tasks you need to do.
You can probably have different excel documents or pages for different days or months of the year. So, easily when in doubt about what you should be doing when or what you have missed, you can easily check through each excel document or page.
Do the first steps above for family tasks or activities:
Part of the problem is listing what you have to do as regards work but not doing the same for the special days, days, and tasks linked with family and friends.
In each month, you should dedicate days or probably weeks for (the most important) family time or celebrations. If your wife is pregnant, you should know when her expected date of delivery is.
Therefore, while planning how to execute your work projects in line with the time available, you know which days to leave out. Because they have been assigned for family and friends on the days that are most essential to them.
When such is done, you should also inform friends and family who might probably bring to the notice dates you missed out on.
Set your own deadlines:
Of course projects and family events have time limits when they are expected to end. However, it is advisable that you have your own deadline set to keep alert.
Setting your own deadlines helps you complete projects quickly so you have more time to execute other tasks. It also helps you control your time when you are out with friends or family.
It is important that you know the most important and valuable days you need to be available or send gifts in for in the case that you are not available to attend such occasions. The main goal is that you did not forget.
Your time can never properly manage if at any specific point in time you lack an idea of the most important projects that need more attention at the period. At the dawn of each day, you need to know which of the tasks at hand will depict the best and highest use of your time when you leave your art studio closed for the day.
Furthermore, you need to ensure that you don’t take too long on tasks if it is necessary.
When it comes to managing your time, you need to be more of a planner than one who is always very eager to take impulsive decisions.
In the case that you need to take spontaneous decisions, ensure that the decision is one that is paramount and really worth it. Also, ensure you execute them as soon as possible.
But usually, it is not advised. People make spontaneous decisions because they do not have a plan and at the end of the day they would have to work under pressure to get the more important tasks or activities done.
Hence, it is more appropriate to have schedules and work plans so you can always refer to them and don’t get cornered into making decisions or promises on the spot.