Time, Priority, Ideas

My current full-time job is the kind that is feast or famine.  I either have a LOT to do, or not much.

In those slower times, I sit staring at the computer screen at some spreadsheet that needs to be filled out, and my mind starts racing around this track that has been laid out in my head.  Decorating, art projects, creative business ideas, marketing, social media, friendships, lack of connections, are my girls prepared for life as adults, and . . . you get the idea, right?  With each thought that sets up at the starting line, I can hear the noise of the engines revving louder and louder until the flag waves, and they're off!

These thoughts and ideas are a blur as they race around the track, with only a second between each of them.  I find myself holding my breath  - you know, like when you are on a roller coaster, heading up that first really tall climb, and you suddenly realize you are holding your breath? Yeah, like that... (or is it just me?)

Then I'm back in front of the spreadsheet, realizing I need to get back to work. 

I try to make lists of the ideas I can catch, but sometimes when I get home, I am onto a different track with different schedules, thoughts, projects that need to be addressed like laundry, dinner, dishes. . .

These are my days.  Not all of them, but many.  I try to get the important things done, like dinner (sometimes), laundry (you can't NOT do that), and sleep (eventually).   The creative stuff doesn't always make the cut, but I am trying to work on that.  When I have a project someone else is waiting for, it gets priority.  If it is just something I want to work on, well, it can wait. I'm not entirely sure why that is.  I guess I don't give myself the same priority and sometimes the ideas seem frivolous, so they aren't really worth the investment of time and energy.  Sometimes the energy isn't available!

Why does it work that way?  Am I the only one?  Why don't I value my ideas and myself enough to give time to experiment more often?  I read about making time, treating these things like actual appointments, but it is difficult for me. I can begin days with the best ideas and plans to get things at least started, but...then life happens.

Then today, I found this article: 

4 Ways to Make Space in Your Brain to Create

By Liz Fosslien and Mollie West

It is from the Quiet Revolution website, and has some good tips for trying to, well, make space in your brain, to create!  There are several different theories presented from authors and creatives like Anne Lamott, Ray Bradbury, and more.  With suggestions and illustrations, it offers a variety of ways to make space, to think about the ideas that we form, and capturing those ideas to turn into creative projects. 

"In other words, find a routine for your creativity, and stick with it."

What are some ways you make your ideas come to life?