Let’s be honest, artists aren’t usually the ‘go to’ for productivity advice.

Myths still dominate perceptions on how we work. Thou its fun pondering mythical scenerios, the truth is, to make a living in art, being productive is a critical element to success.

New Commission for NY clients.

Passion careers are not easy. Survival depends on consistent outstanding work while the world watches every brushstroke. Pressure can be all consuming. Unlike sports, there is no ‘off season’.

Yet many professional artists produce work prolifically, run their business single handedly, have a startling ability to juggle many projects, maintaining razor sharp focus.

How do they do it?

It’s wisdom worth sharing, for this universal advice can be applied to your own pursuits.

First, it’s an absolute given choosing a healthy lifestyle contributes to productivity and longevity. Hands down.

 5 keys to Productivity:

1. A daily time log is an asset to discovering how your valuable time/ energy is spent. An HONEST time log. Include the hours you spend watching cat videos.

2.   De-clutter. It’s tough to be prolific if you cannot find your tools. A clean space = a focused mind, which in turn, opens channels for creativity. Never underestimate factors that contribute to stress and distraction.

Eric Barker writes “Changing your environment is the easiest and most powerful way to change your behavior. Altering the things in your home and your office and carefully picking the people you spend time with will bring you greater and more effortless results than anything else.”

3.  Organize. It saves time, allowing productivity to flourish. Mark McGuiness agrees, offering organizational tips in his wonderful new book “Productivity for Creative People.”

4.  Deliberate Practice. Common theory is to pack in thousands of hours in practice. While there is truth to this, in “Talent is Overrated” Geoff Colvin says deliberate practice is key to understanding where extraordinary talent comes from.

5. Mindfulness & meditation. So successful in helping people achieve focus, meditation is prescribed to those diagnosed with ADHD.

Artists achieve razor sharp focus, because the very work we do is mindful. By working consistently we build a focus ‘muscle’. It becomes easier and easier to ‘tap into the creative zone’. I have known artists who continue to be productive thru enormous life challenges that would normally stop anyone in their tracks. The ability to ‘compartmentalize’ is a wonderful side benefit to having this kind of focus.

New semi plein air. 8×10

Whatever your ambitions, incorporating routine, eliminating negative energy/time draining activities, implementing organized structure, and practicing mindfulness, will pay off in spades.

Goals require  fertile ground to grow, these elements will nourish your productivity, offering space for creativity to blossom.

Note: Hats off to Mark McGuiness, who knocks it out of the park with his new book “Productivity for Creative People” it’s wonderfully motivating, & enlightening. Click here.

~More NEWS~ After 8 months of work, the 50 project is complete!

50 paintings for 50 collectors, celebrating 50 years in gratitude. My heartfelt thanks for your support of the work. Here’s to 50 more.