Since stepping into my business full-time, there have been moments where finding my creative harmony was a bit of a challenge. What is creative harmony? It’s the dance between making all of the art all of the time but also not living in the four walls of my studio. It’s remembering that there is life outside, that ther is nature to explore, families and friends to see and time to play with my dogs. I found that being proactive about taking time off can reduce overwhelm and burnout.

The thing is that what works for me, may not work for you so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. For me, I took time to reflect on my priorities, values, and creative process and create a vision of what that might look like and what tools and resources I would need to make it happen.

Something that works well for me is to schedule everything, from creative projects to doctor’s appointments, to date night, a day in the mountains hiking, and everything in between. I also like to break down my big projects into smaller chunks. Sometimes for big wood-burnings that doesn’t work so I just work in 2-hour sessions, take a break, and then rinse and repeat. It’s very easy for me to be in my studio for 7 days a week and not see anyone else, so I make sure that I get a walk in with my dogs in the mornings but also take one day a week to hike.

Another thing that has worked well for me is to have a dedicated workspace. This is free from everyone else’s clutter and I can shut the door to reduce interruptions if I need to. Before I had my studio, I would have a space in the kitchen or the living room and make everyone aware that I was unavailable as I was working on a project. But being able to decorate my studio that makes it function for me as well as be my sanctuary has been one of the most important things in finding creative harmony. It’s a space that feels good and I enjoy being in it.

Coming back around to walking my dogs in the morning, it’s good for them, and it’s good for me. It’s helped me develop some better habits in creating consistent routines. As I’ve mentioned I often work in 2-hour sessions when creating art and that allows me to go outside, get some fresh air, play with dogs, and eat a meal or snack.

Something that I overlooked early on is financial wellness. It’s tough to create when you’re stressed about money, or it’s a great escape to not think about finances. I’ve done both. Over time however, I realized the importance of a budget and some kind of a financial plan to make sure this life I’ve chosen is sustainable for me. There have been times where I took on side-gigs and part-time jobs to make it, and there is no shame in that. Having a budget and making a plan about it can help reduce stress and improve your creativity.

But one of the biggest challenges is perhaps finding a supportive network. I found my people through social media and events I am vending at. For you, that might look like joining a creative community. Cultivating a supportive network has been invaluable. I also have amazing friends and family members who are supportive, even if they don’t understand what I am doing.

Finding creative harmony between creative work and personal life can feel overwhelming in the beginning. By exploring and implementing different strategies you can tailor them to what you need them to be so you can show up for your creative work but also have appropriate downtime. There’s nothing more frustrating than wanting to make art but feeling utterly burned out or feeling stressed about something.