How do you find a balance between your Day-Job, your house & family, and your Crafty Business???
Man, I know I've only been working at my new job for the week, but I'm going through Crafting Withdrawal. I still get up at like 7 am, and try to do my crafty computer stuff (FB, Twitter, Etsy, Blogging, etc), then get like an hour of creative work done. Then I head off to work. Get home and am too tired to get anything done at night. I haven't been able to put my time in on Etsy & marketing, which makes me scared because it was hard enough to get the little exposure online when I had all day, everyday to work on promoting.
I also have so many ideas that I want to finish up & start on.... I know that I'll get used to working & won't be so tired after a couple weeks (that's a major bummer of being unemployed for like almost 2 years). And I know that I'll get into a groove where I can schedule my time better & get things rolling again... but in the meantime...
Do you have any TIPS or advice on how you found a non-stressful balance between your Crafting Life & the Real World!?!?!?
A Very Big Thank You!!
Have a Great Weekend!!!
Hi Chrissy,
ReplyDeleteI don't have any easy advice. My best advice is to figure out what's important to you and jettison the rest. I've pared down a lot and live fairly simply. I work heck-a-hard. But I'm happy doing what I love. Good Luck!
I chose to work an overnight job that allowed me time to craft and that is where I get most of my felting done . The pay isn't great and the job can be frustrating but it is the only kind of job that would allow me so much "down time" to do the crafting .
ReplyDeleteAs to the promotional stuff....YES, that alone is a full time job, and one I found time sucking, unpleasant and difficult to measure any positive results . I abandoned most of it and am looking at finding another way to get "seen" when I decide to start selling . For now, I am just building inventory...(ie crafting) getting ready to do a few craft shows and hoping to spend the spring looking at local shops that I can consign my stuff in .
I think internet sales are really difficult for felters because seeing our items in person makes them come alive more then a picture on-line ?
Thanx Robin & krex!!
ReplyDeleteI guess that starting this job was the beginning of my life-purge. I didn't want to continue with my old line of work (talk about time consuming - 6-7 days a week 12 hours a day....) So this new job is a step of that strip-down, so I can have more time to create.
You are both right, I need to remember that it's the act of creating that I love, the rest of the stuff is what's sucking the time & life out of me now. FB, Twitter, Forums, Blogs, etc.... Haven't made anything all week...
And you're right krex, I'm going to start doing more shows, I should focus on having great products that I can sell in person, then maybe Etsy sales will come later.
Thank You Both, I feel better today & have the day off to work on some crafty stuff!!!!!
Oh man, this is so tough. I totally feel your pain; this is something I struggle with constantly. The goal meetup has helped; it gives me measurable things to work on each month and a way to track the progress I make toward my big goals. What also helps me is to lead a fairly scheduled life (loosely, though, so I can remain flexible).
ReplyDeleteMy key goal for 2010 is to learn better balance. I'll let you know if I run into anything else that's a big help as I inch toward this goal!