DIY management is more than the honest dream of artistic and business-related emancipation. It implies the significance of concrete strategies, modes that let you work through an immense amount of internal and external factors.
As food for thought, we collected pointers that have the potential of optimizing your self- management, especially if you’re an artist pursuing a DIY style of handling things.
Self-fulfillment is definitely a two-sided sword. On the one hand, you work towards a goal that is utterly worth pursuing, on the other hand, you can turn into your own worst enemy, at least if you don’t watch out.
We took some time to meditate on these issues, and here are some thoughts that we boiled down to…
Workload
Obviously, this a multi-faceted point. While work rarely feels like work when you love what you do, this phenomenon can also turn into a critical aspect quite soon, if you don’t watch out.
Being your own boss means you delegate you. There’s no system of checks-and-balances at place, on the contrary. You’re probably hovering between multiple tasks, switching from creative endeavors to dry, organizational topics and so on.
That’s why it’s absolutely vital to keep a close eye on the workload. Especially the way you carry it through your day. The amount of work-free-zones you create for yourself, mentally and physically.
A solid workload is something that can absolutely uplift any creative spirit. Keep it that way, by finding a mode that works. Be a good boss, especially towards yourself.
Mental buffer zones
Even if you’re not engaged in certain topics, seemingly at rest, your mind has the tendency to hold on to relevant tasks. Can you relate to the feeling of constant, latent restlessness? Well, more often than not, that’s due to permanent mental activity, even if you’re doing completely unrelated activities.
And while this ongoing flow of mental work definitely leads to great ideas in the most unusual situations, it can also be incredibly draining. It can feel like running in circles, permanently in movement, without ever getting any much-needed rest. As if a hive bees w buzzing in your head, never asleep, but never really focused either.
So, to be able to detach from this constant up-and-down of self-management, try to willfully create mental buffer zones as a form of meditative escape. It’s incredibly hard, but also incredibly important to actively pursue this form of inner detachment. Detaching from your most relevant passions does not mean you’re neglecting them, but rather giving them a chance to breathe, giving your mind a chance to breathe.
Prioritize
On the surface, most tasks seem equal in importance.
No matter if you’re dealing with creative things, like finishing up a mix, or setting up the promotional budget of your Instagram ad campaign. They all have to get done, and no one but you will be able to make sure they are actually pursued, responsibly and the way they should be.
Still – prioritization is an absolute must. And sometimes this means choosing a task you’d rather put off for a while. It needs finishing or an external partner is waiting for your completion.
Make sure you prioritize before heading into a workload of activities that cover a wide range of themes. It will lead to more focused work, more efficiency and especially less perplexity when handling various, differing tasks at hand.