Time management is always such a balancing act, especially when you work at home. Even when the kids are in school, there is always something to distract you. Dishes to be done, dog to be walked, TV to be watched, naps to be taken. . . .
I get a lot of questions about how I get so much done in a week. Well, I'll try to tell you--
First off, there are two of us, and we both put in about 40 hours a week. That's potentially 80 hours of productivity. It helps to be on a tentative schedule. Dylan's schedule is kind of a mystery to me, but he gets the sewing and stuffing done by Tuesday. I think he starts on Thursday the week before. I dunno. I do know what my schedule (ideally) looks like though.
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-Monday I sketch, design and make any new templates or patterns, and get organized for the rest of the week. This includes a big list on a white board of the individual pieces I want to make by Friday (although I usually work at least part of the day on Saturday finishing up, depending upon how ambitious my plans are). I also get stuff ready to paint-- pick out colors, do any needle sculpting, select fabrics, etc.
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-Tuesday and Wednesday I paint and do any sculpting.
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-On Thursday (if I'm still on track) I stain everything in the morning, then have some fun while they're drying, then get everybody dressed, button-jointed, what have you.
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-Friday I draw and paint the final details.
. . .
That's what my ideal week looks like.
But you know what they say:
If you wanna make God laugh, tell Him your plans.
. . .
Today, which is a Friday, finds me staining, button-jointing, dressing, and sculpting.
Balancing the housework and all the kids' many activities. . .well, that's another story altogether. Let's just say that productivity drops significantly during baseball season.
Of course, sometimes the muse strikes during off-hours. And that's honored as well, although not with as much enthusiasm.
. . .
How 'bout you?
When do you create?
Joee,I enjoyed walking through your work~week so much!I keep trying to do this myself,ration out my time between creating,and family,and housework.I'm still trying to make it work,and become successful at balancing my time.My favorite time to create is early in the morning,up until around 1 O'clock.There's nothing like working in that peaceful bliss of morning time.
ReplyDelete~Mandy
I create when ever the children are sleeping, which none of them having been doing as of lately. It's hard when you have little ones. I just keep on trying anyhow. My favorite time to create in a perfect world would be as much as possible. I would have my own studio with three little tables set up for my girls so they could work or play while I painted or created.
ReplyDeleteI used to be like Summer, creating from 9pm to ahem, 2am, because the rest of the time was either office work or children. Now that I don't have a regular job, I start every week with a " this week I'll start on this and that" and nothing gets done apart from whatever has a deadline, even though I have more time than ever at home!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joee, for sharing this. :-) I keep trying to come up with a routine, but I haven't been very good at it. I will get better, though!
ReplyDeleteDixie
No set time, but I LOVE creating in the wee hours of the morning when it seems that everyone else in the world is asleep! (smiles)
ReplyDeletePS I'm having a Give-Away on my blog if you are interested
Right now I'm creating/working 7 days a week, and can sooooooooo relate to being thrown off schedule! I always seem to be underestimating how long it will take me to finish a piece, so I'm constantly behind....If only someone would figure a way to fit another ten hours into a day, or a couple extra days in a week, lol!
ReplyDelete~ Carolee
Joee ~ What a FUN read & thanks for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteHave a great & creative week! :)
CK
Joee!
ReplyDeleteI want to come spend the week with you and share coffee, cookies and some dolly making!!! Sounds like you have more of a routine that is scheduled and organized, unlike myself.
Your newest creations as always are perfection!
Big Hugs,
Tink
Wow, Joee, you're way more organized than me! I get up at 9 a.m. (except when I have insomnia, like now, when I'm posting at 5 in the morning!), check my email and do any "real" work that's on my plate. In my "other" life, I'm a consultant, but I only have a couple of clients and they've been slow getting the contracts signed, so I haven't had much work the past few months. If there's nothing going on workwise, I head down to the studio and work on dolls. I just do whatever I feel like ... start something new, rework a doll I'm not quite happy with, whatever. Right now, I've got three founding fathers in process: Washington for Colonial Williamsburg, a Jefferson for my mantel for the approaching "patriotic season" (what better to celebrate the Fourth than Jefferson with a flag and a copy of the Declaration, eh?), and I've just started a resculpt of my Hamilton. I've never been one to leave well enough alone.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, your work is amazing. I admired it on Ebay long before I met ya at CWT.
Nina
Oh my goodness - you have a 'plan'....I'm sooo very impressed. Maybe that's what I need..... A PLAN. You've thought it through and make it happen - even if it goes wonky somewhere in there...you know where you are 'suppose' to be and can still head in that direction - so fantastic! I think after having this baby...I've been 'plan-less'...I'm feeling a little glimmer of hope return, in putting pen to paper and finding 'my plan' again!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration.....
*funny huh? How just reading someone else's week can inspire you forward on your own...thank you!!
Debra