There just never seems to be enough time in the day to get all the things I want to do done...and I'm not talking about all that housework! There is always time for housework, too much time in fact. And the problem with house work is it never ends. You finish one thing, think 'voila' and turn around to have it staring you back in the face, smirking that you've gotta start all over again.
So I'm not going to talk housework. YUK!
Projects are what I'm talking about. Creative projects. I always seem to have a project or two, or three on the go. Many, many times they can go uncompleted for a very long time (read forever!) For instance, about 2 years ago, I borrowed a huge pile of my childhood photo albums from Mum, with the thought of scanning all those gorgeous, faded photo memories into a digital album . I started well. I scanned and scanned and scanned, I edited and organised and then... I got just a teeny-weeny bit bored...then we decided to renovate, then we did renovate (nearly all of last year) and the problem is, I've still got to finish it.
Here are all the things I plan to finish one day....
- Finish the digital album of my childhood that I started 2 years ago..(and thought I had lost on my now crashed external hard drive. Phew!)
- Finish researching the family tree that I started 3 years ago. (I've mostly finished Dad's side of the family - Sooooo fascinating!) though this project really is a life time one and will not be completed anytime soon!
- Start ASAP and complete by December, Bon's primary school graduation book. I made one for Bel when she completed year 6 and scanned into it all her school reports, artwork, class photos, and anything related to her school years from kindergarten through to the end of year 6. Basically I emptied the memory box of all that had been flung in there and scanned and photographed it all into a digital, coffee table masterpiece. Definitely the most rewarding and BEST project I have ever undertaken (and finished!).
- A family cookbook of all our favourite family recipes. Basically, a cookbook that I know I will cook from because I already cook those recipes! The difference being, I wont have to scout through a huge number of cookbooks trying to find "that great recipe" all the time.
- A guest book for our short stay holiday apartment, using photos I have taken on our journeys around Western Australia.
I could go on...but I need to stop there as I'm starting to hyperventilate with the over whelming pressure to get it all done!
The problem I have, as you can see, is a time management/ perseverance issue. A classic case of 'wanttodoitallitis'. The creative mind that loves to be busy creating but who hasn't quite cottoned on to the 'how to see it through to the end' logistics. Painting is my priority, and the kids, and Dude, and the house...but how do I fit in these tantalising little extras?
Through a lot of pondering and self-analysis, I have realised I work best with deadlines...My paintings generally all have a deadline, whether they be for an art prize, a client or a gift. They get done because I HAVE to finish them. Bon's album will get done, because I've given myself a deadline of December and its only fair that she gets an awesome graduation gift like Bel.
The question is how to motivate myself with the other projects and how to set myself a finish date. How to cull out a few of these projects or how to set to set a priority timeline. I already feel better just by writing about my dilemma! I can be held accountable now...in fact , this morning I got a little more organised with some of my recipes. Good feeling!
How do you go about getting creative projects completed? Especially when there are quite a few! Please help! I need help...Dude wants me to get help as he knows as much as I do, that I have a few more projects buzzing around in my head bursting to come forth and get started!!
Looking forward to your response...
Ps. The photos are from Bel's graduation book...if you are wondering, I use momento.com.au for my digital photo albums. They are brilliant, professional, totally awesome albums. Thumbs up!
x Mia
There just never seems to be enough time in the day to get all the things I want to do done...and I'm not talking about all that housework! There is always time for housework, too much time in fact. And the problem with house work is it never ends. You finish one thing, think 'voila' and turn around to have it staring you back in the face, smirking that you've gotta start all over again.
So I'm not going to talk housework. YUK!
Projects are what I'm talking about. Creative projects. I always seem to have a project or two, or three on the go. Many, many times they can go uncompleted for a very long time (read forever!) For instance, about 2 years ago, I borrowed a huge pile of my childhood photo albums from Mum, with the thought of scanning all those gorgeous, faded photo memories into a digital album . I started well. I scanned and scanned and scanned, I edited and organised and then... I got just a teeny-weeny bit bored...then we decided to renovate, then we did renovate (nearly all of last year) and the problem is, I've still got to finish it.
Here are all the things I plan to finish one day....
- Finish the digital album of my childhood that I started 2 years ago..(and thought I had lost on my now crashed external hard drive. Phew!)
- Finish researching the family tree that I started 3 years ago. (I've mostly finished Dad's side of the family - Sooooo fascinating!) though this project really is a life time one and will not be completed anytime soon!
- Start ASAP and complete by December, Bon's primary school graduation book. I made one for Bel when she completed year 6 and scanned into it all her school reports, artwork, class photos, and anything related to her school years from kindergarten through to the end of year 6. Basically I emptied the memory box of all that had been flung in there and scanned and photographed it all into a digital, coffee table masterpiece. Definitely the most rewarding and BEST project I have ever undertaken (and finished!).
- A family cookbook of all our favourite family recipes. Basically, a cookbook that I know I will cook from because I already cook those recipes! The difference being, I wont have to scout through a huge number of cookbooks trying to find "that great recipe" all the time.
- A guest book for our short stay holiday apartment, using photos I have taken on our journeys around Western Australia.
I could go on...but I need to stop there as I'm starting to hyperventilate with the over whelming pressure to get it all done!
The problem I have, as you can see, is a time management/ perseverance issue. A classic case of 'wanttodoitallitis'. The creative mind that loves to be busy creating but who hasn't quite cottoned on to the 'how to see it through to the end' logistics. Painting is my priority, and the kids, and Dude, and the house...but how do I fit in these tantalising little extras?
Through a lot of pondering and self-analysis, I have realised I work best with deadlines...My paintings generally all have a deadline, whether they be for an art prize, a client or a gift. They get done because I HAVE to finish them. Bon's album will get done, because I've given myself a deadline of December and its only fair that she gets an awesome graduation gift like Bel.
The question is how to motivate myself with the other projects and how to set myself a finish date. How to cull out a few of these projects or how to set to set a priority timeline. I already feel better just by writing about my dilemma! I can be held accountable now...in fact , this morning I got a little more organised with some of my recipes. Good feeling! 
How do you go about getting creative projects completed? Especially when there are quite a few! Please help! I need help...Dude wants me to get help as he knows as much as I do, that I have a few more projects buzzing around in my head bursting to come forth and get started!!
Looking forward to your response...
Ps. The photos are from Bel's graduation book...if you are wondering, I use momento.com.au for my digital photo albums. They are brilliant, professional, totally awesome albums. Thumbs up!
x Mia
