3 WAYS TO BREAK THROUGH RESISTANCE AND GET STUFF DONE
ARTIST-MAMA, THE RESISTANCE IS REAL
OK. You know that situation where the kids are out of the house and FINALLY you have time to start your work. You pour yourself a cup of coffee. You sit down. And your mind goes totally blank. Before you know it you’re scrolling Instagram. OR you spend all day doing some menial chore and then BAM they’re home and you haven’t done the thing you were so desperate to do all along. Artist-Mama, don’t feel guilty! This is a REAL THING. It’s called resistance and the more you want to accomplish something the bigger the resistance gets.
WHAT IS THE RESISTANCE, REALLY?
The more important something is, the more you will resist it. Laziness, the sudden urgent need to organise your sock drawer, procrastination — these are just some of the ways Resistance shows up. The good news is IT’S NOT PERSONAL. There’s nothing wrong with you. And, it’s not new. The great Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius wrote,
"Our actions may be impeded, but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions. Because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
The point is, you’ve got to push through the resistance — there’s no way round it.
CLEVER FORMS OF RESISTANCE
I have a very clever form of procrastination — buying books. By buying books on a topic I want to write about I placate my inner-artist by allowing her to tick the “work” box for the day. I know this is a sloppy habit, but I am so good at tricking myself I’ve often filled my Amazon basket before I realise what I’m up to. Beware of these clever tricks you play on yourself. They can cost you precious time — and money!
3 SIMPLE SOLUTIONS YOU CAN START TODAY
1. Know where to begin
My most recent way of doing this is with a drawing project that’s super simple. I draw something beginning with a letter of the alphabet each day. This gets me to my desk and in the flow before I have time to be drawn off into something self-sabotaging.
2. Intentionally Plan Your Day
For me, doing it the night before really works, but you might need to sit at your desk first thing and just see what needs doing. The key is to block it in. Know what you’re doing that day. Even if that’s walking the dog or going for a run. The point is that you know that you’re only doing that once you’ve finished that painting or illustration or whatever.
3. Progress is happiness
Doing stuff consistently over time equals progress. You will make progress. It will be imperfect and it will be slow. That will be frustrating! But you totally will and knowing this is such a boost to your confidence. I truly believe it’s the key to resilience and will keep you strong enough to share your work even when you’re not feeling at your best.
I’d love to hear what works for you. DM me, comment below, or find me on Instagram. Happy February and happy making!
FURTHER READING AND LISTENING
Lisa Congdon on the podcast “I Like Your Work” — Lots of good conversation about practical time management tips at the end of the episode, from 35 minutes onward
I can really recommend Charlie Gilkey’s book “Start Finishing: How to go from idea to done.” He’s also been a guest on Sounds True’s podcast Insights at The Edge
Illustrator Kate Bingaman-Burt recently became a mom. She’s a super prolific illustrator and a full-time teacher. On the podcast The Jealous Curator, she talks about how motherhood interacts with her work.
