How to keep your sanity when you lack creative time
Soma Mandal Datta 
3 Top Tips to stay connected with your creative side when you are too busy to paint
When you just can't paint? Three tips to keep your sanity when you lack creative time.
Even if you are highly disciplined and determined to find time for creativity, sometimes it just won't be possible to paint. Recently, I was on the verge of breaking down since I couldn’t carve out time for art that was fun and unrelated to work, no matter how hard I tried. And you might think that being a professional artist I can paint to my heart’s content. But that’s not true. You see being a professional art educator, I usually make art for lesson plans or workshops which is work related …rather than fun and abstract type of paintings that I would usually make to unwind and relax. And so prolonged periods of no art caused burnout and aggravated chronic health issues.
As such, I felt like an imposter advising you to prioritize yourself and to make time for yourself when I couldn't do so. There will be times when we just aren't able to take the time out for art due to our careers or other obligations. And this will make us feel that art making is an indulgence.
However, we know that art is not indulgence. I realized that this kind of thinking undermining the value of art for self-care, effects all of us. It is an important reason why many of us lose the creative momentum and then find it hard to get back to art-making as a well-being practice.
So, what do you do when you don’t have the time to be creative?
Here are my top three tips on how to keep your sanity when you lack creative time:
1. Get creative with your daily tasks
Look for ways to do something ‘for’ your creative space as part of your routine tasks. For instance, if you are doing your usual clean of the home, ensure you also include a quick clean of your creative corner. You could simply tidy or wipe down the desk or bin unnecessary items from your creative space. In doing so you will be able to maintain a sense of connection with your creative space knowing that it’s ready to be used whenever opportunity or inspiration strikes.
2. Make ‘post-it’ art
You can use post-it or sticky notes not only for making quick notes but also as a mini sketchbook. It is small enough to fit in your handbag or schedule. When you're waiting for dinner to cook or waiting to collect your child from school or commuting to work, you can doodle or sketch some quick art while you wait. The complexity of your artwork will then depend on how much time you have available to satisfy your art-fix for the day. Even when you don't have time for larger projects, you can keep your creativity alive and fulfill your art-fix by drawing on post-it notes.
3. Watch free online tutorials
This is a perfect tip for those who are too fatigued recovering from hard work to make art in their free time and yet feeling frustrated for being unable to get their art fix. We live in an age where the internet offers you abundance of art tutorials and art demos from artists across the globe.
Fill up a glass of wine or a cup of your favourite tea and watch free video tutorials on YouTube or online classes on Skillshare. That way you will be able to stay up to date with new trends in art techniques that might be relevant when you don't have time make art because of other commitments. Simply save these videos for later… perhaps in a folder titled ‘Inspiration’ to refer whenever you are ready to get started.
When we have a lack of time, and are too busy to paint, it is important to not stress about the lack but focus on what may be still possible even if you can’t paint. Try the tips in this article, to stay connected with your creative side when life gets too busy to make art.
Categories: creative me-time, Wellbeing
