For the past few months, I’ve felt like I haven’t been in full control of my time. Life moves so quickly; between having a full-time job, doing chores and errands, and spending time with friends and family, I’ve been finding it difficult to carve out sufficient time for myself and my creative work. It’s so easy to “let your life live you” rather than the other way around. Throughout most of 2019, it’s definitely felt as though my life has been living me.
Social engagements and daily maintenance can pose an especially dangerous threat to those seeking to make a life in the arts. I’m constantly making plans with friends, which is a wonderful problem to have, but it comes at a cost. On top of that, there are so many hours that slip away from menial tasks like going to the grocery store and washing dishes. Individually, these chores and engagements don’t matter much. I’m happy to spend time with loved ones and certainly enjoy doing so. However, when combined with every other aspect of life, they become a serious imposition on my time and mental energy which could otherwise be channeled into writing or making music.
I’m not suggesting that we should never take the time to have lunch with mom or grab a beer with a buddy, I’m a big fan of doing both, but I’m finding the trick is to be more deliberate with your time and not make such choices impulsively. With the New Year right around the corner, I’ve been reflecting on my habits, identifying the ways in which I’ve been spending my time, and making a plan to take back control of my life and rededicate myself to my creativity. For me, that means making the extra effort to be more focused, disciplined, and overall more mindful in my daily activities.
Nowadays, “being mindful” has almost become a cliché. There’s so much content and so many services advertising mindfulness, specifically meditation, that it can feel like a marketing scheme rather than honest life advice. However, a cliché usually becomes a cliché because it’s true. I’ve made attempts at becoming more mindful many times in the past but it’s proven to be a difficult regimen to stick to, largely due to the aforementioned social obligations. In the past, I’ve gone through phases during which I would practice meditation. It’s no secret that meditating is a key component of becoming more mindful. I’ve realized, though, that there’s much more we can do. This is a list of steps I’ve been taking in order to become more mindful, more focused, and overall lead a healthier creative life.