Artist advices on procrastination
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/http://eurobeast.dk/misc/Steemit/juni/procrastination_350_1.jpg)
This post is really a very long comment I made for @palien - as she suffers from a bad case of procrastination. You can see the tread here.
So procrastination is your enemy... hmm. I think that learning to work is a thing that not only can be learned, it has to be learned. No one is born with it. Of course you might have learned it at home.. but I know many siblings that are very differetn when it comes to work-discipline.
The following is some of my own and other artists advice that I have gathered - I am sure I forgot some golden tricks, but these are the ones I could come up with right now.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/http://eurobeast.dk/misc/Steemit/juni/procrastination.jpg)
- Always start the day by cleaning the atelier (this is from a sculptor. Their workshops are always messy) that way you are already working and the next task will be funnier. (might not be the best advice for people drawing - as I know a lot of artists that use cleaning the desk as an excuse not to get to work.)
- Save the most funny or interesting things for the morning (this was a graphic artist) I think this rule is good for illustrators. If you like to ink, that's it, if you like to sketch that's it. The woman in question said she always made the intermediate copper-prints in the morning. When you have worked a lot on the copper-plate you will like to see the result. So she stopped in the evening without taking the print...
- Take time off - this is mine. If you make a drawing challenge give yourself the weekend free. Of course you can draw on Saturday, you just don't have to.
- Have your coat and shoes ready by the door (my advice too). Then the second you realize that you are wasting time on DeviantArt, Youtube, Trump's latest adventures etc. you rise put on shoes and coat and go out in the street (or fields or mountains if you are in the countryside) - then you walk - if it's a nice day go for it, if it is raining you will soon regret being such a bad procrastinator. Sitting in front of the screen or just being in comfy homely surrounding is often like a trance - walking in the rain or sun gets you out of it.
- Alarm-clocks - well I never did this, but I know a guy who did. Must be pretty annoying, but it did the trick. His problem was not only procrastination, but lunch-breaks and exercise and accounting so he had this alarm-clock schedule that put his day in shape, and reminded him constantly if he was off track. If you want to punish yourself this is effective.
- Never clean before you work - always do it afterwards (if you have the strength) (this is my wife's trick) - cleaning and tidying the atelier is one of the worst and most sneaky ways to not get to work. Simple as that.
- Don't regret the things you did not make yesterday - just say "fuckit" and focus on the work at hand. (from a musician) Felling guilty is a very bad because it is unproductive as hell.
If you compare advice 1. and 6. you will see that they are complete opposites. What work for one artist doesn't work for another. But try them out and see.
And then there is of course all the boring common knowledge advices that are true, but maybe not that effective for a sensitive artists soul: plan, set goals, feel guilty, keep away from Steemit.. some authors have a full screen writing application that has to be closed to do other things on the computer...
I never really did these things and I know not many artists that do. If a method take away from the pleasure of actually making something as delightful as art - scrap it. Of course you need to force yourself all the time, but always try to enjoy it too if at all possible.
I have advices too for what to do if you work too much, but that might not be most peoples problem...
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/http://eurobeast.dk/misc/public/Katharsisdrill_rund_150X150.png)
omg @katharsisdrill thank you so so much for this article, I will write a detailed response after being finished with work (stop the procrastinatiooon), but just want to let you know immediately on how happy and grateful I am for this content! wheee *leaves happily crying
You're welcome... and now: back to work! :)
So... Now I found some time after doing my to-do list :P To actually write you! Your advices are so great and helpful! Especially right now while I'm living in london my social activities have gone down to zero, since all my friends and collegues moved to canada. So getting out of the house with "no real reason" is definetely a habit I should give a chance! I have to admit that sometimes I don't leave the house because I... don't know why I should do. DX... But I think its the same as for drawing sometimes.. You shouldn't wait for a reason but just do it. Its so hard to get out of old habits but I am positive to be able to change that.. in babysteps! :) How does your daily routine look like?
Thank you so so muuuuuch!
Babysteps is actually the best way to change things if the cold turkey fails... As for my routines right now they are a bit up and down, because I still am recovering form some illness. But as I said I really like to draw and try out new things every day, not all are that privileged, so sometimes I have to remember all the other things I have to do. Post on Steemit (so I can earn some money - my comic is not really that bountiful yet) go for a ride on my bicycle, I have an alarm for getting the little one from daycare and shop so I can make dinner... So nothing really that fancy :)
This was an enjoyable read. I laughed a few times because I could relate. - "0. Never write long comments on Steemit" - Yeah, Sometimes my keyboard is clicking away and then I have to go back and edit it down. 😆
Damn, I wanted to write a comment to tell you, how useful this is and how much I like your illustration...
But then I was totally distracted by a lecture of Moebius called a brief manual for cartoonists...
So much things to think about ;-)
Oh la la! That was something I had not seen before. Great link... if you like old hippies that is :) I will immediately check it out!
Some sound advice is given here. Productive work is so good for us. The hardest part is just getting started.
Yes, that is the strange border you have to learn to cross. Saw your comic and am following :)
Interesting post..very good work.Thank you.upvote.greets
You're welcome - all these advices was given me as open source - so they are passed on in the same spirit.
very nice post and happy weekend
Nice post! I would be interested to hear your advice on what to do if you work too much or are close to burn out, not just from art, but also balancing art with a 'day job' (or night job in my case) which can drain you physically and mentally. I have started to clean my room more often, and now I make my bed when I wake up (never used to). I am now forming the habit of working on my art within minutes of waking up, once I have a coffee by my side of course! :)