I’ve been trying my best over the past few weeks to catch up at work.  

My work is inherently creative requiring a great deal of writing, and when I’m lucky some graphic design or art work.

The past month however has been mostly administrative catch up and pushing through several projects that I haven’t been enjoying.

I’ve been working extra hours and ending up exhausted falling asleep at 8pm.  And what’s in my calendar at 8pm, that’s right to work on my craft.

We’re not all lucky enough to work in a job that allows us to practice our craft on “the company dime” I have a bit of that but not as much as I’d like which is why I try to add in extra practice where I can.

So in our busy days how can we find the time to practice?

The first step has been a time audit, writing down every single thing we do from the time we get up until the time we go to sleep for a whole week.  Preferably down to 15 minute time blocks.  Then try and note energy levels for each our or part of the day.

If you have a flexible schedule it can be beneficial to move the creative tasks to when you have more energy and the not so creative tasks to when you are a bit more tired.  You’ll be just as tired and the important but not so creative tasks will get done just the same.

If you don’t have as flexible a schedule the task may require you to move personal items around and can likely call for you to go to bed an hour earlier so you can get up an hour earlier and work while everyone else is asleep.

And as always cut yourself some slack.  If your overload and lack of practice time is temporary just ride the wave until it passes and capture back your practice time when you can.