Are you finding it difficult to get everything done throughout the day? Are you excited about selling your artwork online to earn some extra income but you can’t seem to figure out how to get all of the jobs done? In this post, I am going to share with you some tips on how to manage time so you can get more done with less effort.
How To Manage Time
Most of us artists operate our art business alone. We create art to sell, we promote our artwork and handmade crafts online and offline and we prepare the art for shipping after it has been sold.
Selling original art online is a fantastic way to earn some extra income but it is difficult and demanding.
Learning how to manage time is essential for any artists success whether you are selling art part-time or full-time.
Manage your time more effectively will help you to accomplish your daily tasks quicker and reduce unnecessary stress.
I know this to be true because when I started selling art online over 16 years ago I found myself working over a hundred hours a week with no days off. I was determined to make it work but over time I realized that I would not be able to continue with the long hours, something had to change.
I knew that I had to learn how to be more productive with my time or I would burn out and lose everything I have worked hard for. Now I work half the time and I am earning more money.
Below are some tips I have learned over the years that will help you to manage your time better so you can earn extra income selling your artwork and handmade crafts without working over a hundred hours a week like I did in the beginning.
Set A Schedule
Before you can start to manage your time effectively you have to know what your objectives are.
What would you like to accomplish?
The more specific you are the better.
Having a clear vision of what you would like to achieve will help you to develop strategies that will be productive. Everything you do will be focused on your goals.
A set schedule will set boundaries on how much time you can devote to each task.
Knowing what you want and how much time you can spend on your goals is the first step towards managing your time better.
Take a few minutes now to write your objectives and decide how much time you can devote towards your goals.
Goal Setting Resource:
How to Write Goals You Can Achieve Workbook
Artist Goal Planners in Light Blue
Artist Goal Planners in Light Pink
How To Be Better At Time Management
Time management strategies will only work if you know when you will be working.
Decide on when you can block off some time during the week so you can get your work done.
One benefit of working from home is that you can decide when you will work. The flip side of the coin is that if you do not schedule in time during the week to work, you will more than likely put off the things you do not like to do like writing blog posts.
Yes, generating income from art that you have created is very rewarding however there are going to be important jobs that need to get done that you might not enjoy doing. If you do not schedule in time during the week to get those tasks done, they will never get done. The bottom line is that you will be losing sales.
Take some time now to create a schedule for your work week.
It might take a couple of tries to make it perfect and that is ok.
After a few weeks, you will have the perfect working schedule.
Schedule Prime Working Hours
Managing your time effectively starts with knowing when the best times to work are.
When do you have some time when there will be fewer distractions?
If you have children, the best time for you might be when your children are in school.
Maybe waking up an hour earlier than normal or working an hour after everyone has gone to bed is best for you.
You have to decide on when you can work with fewer distractions.
Trying to work when there are a lot of distractions will only create stress and have you working for longer periods of time. What would normally take a half an hour to complete could take hours to finish if you are constantly stopping.
Think about when the best time for you is to put in some quality work and write it down on your calendar.
This might take some adjusting at first but in a few weeks, you will have the perfect schedule.
Schedule Breaks
If you are not careful you will end up working around the clock. This is easy to do when you work at home.
The problem with working around the clock is that you will not be productive.
It is important for both your physical and mental health to schedule breaks during the day.
Schedule in breaks throughout the day, you will find that you will become more efficient with your time.
To-Do List
Time management tips and strategies will only work when you have a clear vision of what your objectives are, when you will be able to get the work done, and know exactly what should be done and when.
Writing a daily to-do list will help you to keep track of what needs to get done.
You will not waste time trying to think about what you should be doing next and you will not overlook important tasks.
Start every workday with a to-do list. You will feel energized every time you cross off a completed task.
To learn how to be more productive working at how visit Get More Done in Less Time The Part-time Artist.
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Conclusion:
You have all of the tools you need to earn money selling your artwork online. The only thing that can stop you is you.
If selling your art is something you really want to do then take it seriously and treat it like a job.
You are going to have to be disciplined if you want to be successful selling your art online.
The time management tips outlined above will help you to get more done in less time.
How To Manage Time – Build A Profitable Online Art Business Overview:
- Set A Schedule
- How To Be Better At Time Management
- Schedule Prime Working Hours
- Schedule Breaks
- To-Do List
You might also be interested in:
Accomplish More by Setting Deadlines for Your Art Business
The Pomodoro Technique How Artists Can Accomplish More
5 Easy Steps for Writing Goals That Will Change Your Life
How to be More Productive Working at Home – Visual Artists
How to be a Productive Artist – Plan Everything
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