Renewing My Commitment to Me

I had quite a bit of energy this past weekend and got lots of things started, including throwing out a drafting table that I bought for my very first apartment and haven't really used since I moved to this home place. I've been getting myself prepared for this removal for a long time and finally set it out by the dumpster with an old CD player, and my very first TV (that I bought when I went off to college and made my mother EXTREMELY angry). I did a bit of the Marie Kondo routine - in that I mourned the loss and then sent the things off into the world for their next iterations. Someone took the table frame and the CD player first, leaving the TV (understandable since it is ancient) and the table top. Everything was gone when I woke up yesterday morning.

Removing those things helped me to think about how I want my craft room to work. Right now, things are just scattered everywhere. I am craving some organization (like always), and I am thinking that crafting zones are the way to go. I have identified four zones for me to use - paper crafts (the largest), sewing, yarn, and painting. I spent some money this weekend finding some storage that will contain my supplies and have the yarn and sewing materials about 75% contained. I will always be working on the paper craft section because it never gets exactly the way I want it. Since I can't really do much of my regular crafting right now - can't use two fingers and all my crafts are two-handed things) - I am focusing on making that space a place where I can find what I need.

I also signed up for SkillShare which is an online learning platform that offers classes in topics that I'm interested in. I signed up for a workshop on Making Creativity My Career. The courses are asynchronous (so I can access them whenever I am ready to do so), and they have a wide variety of skills to learn about.

During the first part of my workshop, I had to make a list of the things that I want out of my life. I selected the thing that I've been working on for the entire year - establishing an evening routine that allows me to make use of the time that I have after work. I often just fall into bed instead of doing things that I need to do. I am focusing on this very thing right now. I really want to use my time better because I want to be creative, engaged, healthy, and productive. (My mantra for this part of the course.) You may be wondering what this has to do with making creativity my career. So did I to start, but all of the other things that I want to do require time.

I talk to others about time management all the time, and I am a relatively good time manager at work. I get my work things done during work time. In fact, I have more time at work than I really need. I am looking for more things to do at work to keep me occupied. At the end of my time managed work day, I end up heading home and feeling exhausted! I have an exercise bike that I don't use because I am tired, but exercising would help me find some energy and wake me up a bit. I have chores to do, but I don't do them because the thought of starting is exhausting. So, here I am - at the same place that I have been in over and over again - trying to get something to happen.

The one thing that has been the most helpful with renewing my energy in the past months has been drinking soda after work. This may be the way I get started - drinking a can of soda on the way home from work...

I have my tools ready - my R2-D2 kitchen timer for my 30 minute stints, my post-it notes to write down the steps of my chores and tasks, and my bullet journal - so this will be the first day of my routine. I will try to figure out things that I can do to increase my time and decrease my exhaustion.

My goal for this continuing challenge is to help me with my time management so I can create more consistently. I love making visual aids, but they take time and thought. I can't always muster up the energy to write a new song. I have a subscription service that needs some energy to put together every week. We are getting ready to start the planning process for January 2021 - can you believe it? I also want to dedicate time to my own artistic growth and the things that I create that have absolutely nothing to do with music or music therapy. When my fingers are healed, I want to be able to hold onto a paintbrush and to sew paper signatures into my books again. I want to be able to crochet a prayer shawl for someone who needs one. I am craving the chance to write something on paper without pain. I think I will be able to do some of these things if I use my afternoon and evening hours for things other than lying down in my bed.

Time to go to work. I haven't strategized for this week yet, but I do have time this morning for planning. Three sessions today - one run by my senior intern and two run by me. Maybe I can FINALLY figure out some individual/small group sessions into our schedule.

Thanks for reading.