Managing Your Time, when Music isnt Your Day Job
You CAN do everything.
Repeat.
You CAN do everything. What you cannot do, however, is do everything at the same time, or create a day that's longer than 24 hours.
The two most important aspects of time management are acceptance and choice. When you think of time in terms of acceptance and choice, you're never "wrong", "bad", or "lazy", you've just made certain choices. When you think in terms of discipline and willpower, however, your inner critic can really do a number on you. We already have low self-esteem as artists; let's not add to the problem!!
An example of this from my own life is that I choose to live alone instead of with a roommate; that means I also choose higher rent and the need to bring in enough income to cover that rent. When sneaky thoughts of resentment or self-pity creep in to my head, I need to remember the choice that I made, and I need to accept this is how things are for now.
Here are some tips for using choice and acceptance to manage your time.
Decide what you want to have time for. What keeps getting pushed to the back burner or rushed through? How will you spend your time once you've made your songwriting dreams come true and you've become the artist you're meant to be? Nourish this vision until it's clear in your mind. It's essential to know what you're working towards. Remember, you won't always be this busy unless you choose to be.
Choose not to be this busy – for one week, track your time using a time log. You can make one yourself; simply chart out (on paper or on the computer) your day in fifteen-minute intervals and then record what you do in each of those blocks of time. Completing a time log will illuminate how much time you're spending on different things. Look carefully at the choices you're making. What do you most want to do with the time you have available?
Accept your day job for what it is – a source of the financial support you need to eat and live – and write songs! Practice feeling grateful for the job you have, instead of feeling resentful about the time it's taking away from your songwriting. For instance, what recording equipment, CD's, manuscript paper, software programs or musical instruments have you bought from the money you earned in this job? Also, the job is giving you life experiences, and most likely lots of opportunities to interact with other people. Your passion is to communicate with people through your music – how can you take some of that passion and apply it to your day-to-day interactions? What kind of stories do your co-workers have to tell? What ideas do those stir up for you that you can use in your writing?
Look for a "day job" that's meaningful and that's taking you in the direction of your dreams. Do you need some ideas? Try meditating to access inner wisdom and spiritual guidance. If songwriting is your primary passion, what's your second passion? What ELSE gets your juices flowing? There's no need to be in a job that doesn't make you feel alive, in order to support what does. Some artists that I know get lots of fulfillment from teaching children or adults about their craft. Others take jobs that involve public speaking, to give them more experience and confidence talking to groups. Some take jobs in music stores, where they can have lots of time to learn about the newest equipment, meet lots of fellow artists, and get a discount, to boot!
Schedule time with yourself for your songwriting, collaborating and rehearsing. Keep these dates with yourself and others as sacred appointments!
Be good to your body and don't sacrifice sleep for productivity (if you keep doing that, you won't be in much shape to produce anything!).
There are only a couple of things that we really NEED to do every day. Everything else is a choice.
This article was originally published on the Muses Muse Songwriter's Resource website (November 2004) http://www.musesmuse.com.
(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.
Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. To receive her free monthly newsletter, "Everyday Artist", subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/artist-newsletter.html
Related Articles:
Communities Uniting to Celebrate Lay Flats Midwest Arts and Music Festival
The Lay Flats Arts and Music Festival brings you the largest all local art and expression celebration of its scale within the Lafayette area! Enjoy local art, music, refreshment and community at the historic Tippecanoe Amphitheaters on August 18, 2007. Proceeds from the Lay Flats Arts Festival support local charities to benefit Children's art therapy, outreach and support programs offered in Tippecanoe County.
Music For iPods ? How to Find Quality Music
Music for iPods can be made to sound even better than it is today. iPod is one of the best electronic gadgets ever created in this generation, and it has been the companion of all too many people, young and old, working adults or schooling kids. Even grandmas and granddads are learning to listen to music from this little MP3. We really need to do justice to our favorite toys by feeding them with the best music for iPods. So how do you ensure the music you are putting into your iPod is of the finest quality?
Urbmob Records Presents: "Hit the Stage! Down South" An Exclusive Music Talent Competition in a New Generation of Digital Media
mBeat Media, Inc. ("mBeat"), the parent company of URBMOB.com and Urbmob Records, is pleased to debut its live presentation of "Hit the Stage! Down South" -- an exclusive music talent competition in a new generation of digital media and recording artists.
Life Throws Curveballs - Downsizing Music
Delphi Automotive's downsizing throws employees a curveball inspiring musician/electrician Jeff Stone to tell the tale in a song with his new CD Single release Curveball
Unsigned Indie Quartet The Soldier Thread Advances to Spin/Music Nation's Hot Pursuit Quarterfinals, Receives Accolade from Perry Farrell
"Texas reigns supreme" declares the front-page Spin.com feature on The Soldier Thread. The exciting, unsigned act hailing from Austin, TX , has advanced to the quarterfinals in the Spin Magazine/Music Nation hosted Hot Pursuit contest, making them one of only 16 acts chosen to continue.
Managing Your Time, when Music isnt Your Day Job
You CAN do everything.Repeat.
A Night of Louisiana Music to showcase Grammy nominees from across the Bayou State on Saturday, Feb. 9 at The Mint in Los Angeles
Performers will include C.C. Adcock, The Lost Bayou Ramblers, Roddie
Romero & The Hub City All-Stars, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Terrance
Simien & The Zydeco Experience and other special guests
Music Conservatory of Westchester's Executive Director Recognized as "Rising Star"
Dr. Aaron A. Flagg, Executive Director of the Music Conservatory of Westchester, a non-profit community school of the arts, was named a winner of the "Rising Stars - Westchester's Forty Under Forty" by The Business Council of Westchester. He will be honored for his professional accomplishments, leadership qualities, and outstanding success at an awards ceremony June 19, 2008.
Innovation Entertainment Announces the Finalists for the April 2008 Low Budget Love International Music Competition
The Low Budget Love Music Competition is a monthly contest founded on the belief that "you don't have to spend a lot of money to make quality music that people will love." This opportunity gives unsigned or independent artists, musicians and songwriters a chance to win cash prizes, have their music considered for future licensing opportunities and be heard by a pool of industry professionals, including Grammy award winners and chart-toppers.
Motorola Rolls Out First ROKR? for Car with Portable In-Car Speakerphone and Music System
With the new MOTOROKR? T505, drivers simply clip, tune and go to enjoy wireless, hands-free connectivity and music.
NewBandTV.com Announces World Wide Launch of Online Music Channel
NewBandTV.com announces world wide launch of new online music channel. Streaming high quality music videos and related exclusive content 24 hours a day from bands like Atreyu, The Streets, Placebo, Bright Eyes, Bloc Party, Circa Survive and many more.
Parrot Capitalizes on Digital Music Craze with New Streaming Audio Car Kits, Compact Speaker Systems
Parrot leads the industry in audio streaming products, having introduced six all-new cars kits and stereo speakers in the last 12 months. In March 2007, the company launched the Parrot Boombox, a powerful, portable single-unit stereo speaker. Next, Parrot launched the second-generation of streaming audio-enabled car kit -- the Parrot MK6100. And finally, Parrot just introduced two more new streaming audio products -- the Parrot PARTY, a personal-size portable stereo speaker small enough to fit in a backpack or purse, but powerful enough to fill a room with music.
Music Preferences
Music is a wonderful thing. It can make people laugh, cry or feel happy or sad. It can calm a crying baby, or even motivate a person to exercise. There are all types of music, too: Rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, gospel, and many other genres as well as sub-genres. And everyone listens to some type of music. Whether it?s classic rock or gangster rap, there is a type that appeals to every person in the world. But what makes a person like a certain type of music?
New Age Music - What Is It Good For?
Let's face it. The world will not end if there isn't another new age music CD on the market.
Cellfish Media Launches 'Add-to-Phone', Allowing Publishers and Bloggers to Provide the Ability to Send Pictures, Videos, Music and News Feeds From
Today leading mobile entertainment content provider, Cellfish Media, is launching "Add-to-Phone", a free technology for bloggers and websites, which lets their users download content from the web to their phones in a simple, one-click process.