Every day, I hear a voice in my head berating me for not getting things done, for wasting time, and for procrastinating too much. This is the signal for me to be gentle with myself, which doesn’t always happen.

I would like to remember that expecting myself to switch from not needing to work, to wanting to support myself as a full-time artist (while also maintaining a household and caring for three children) possibly requires a bit of a transition period.

Learning new habits, developing confidence, implementing scheduling and focusing on what needs to be done, aren’t skills I can realistically expect to be in place immediately. I still do, though, because I’m a perfectionist, dammit!

I am learning more about what I need to make my full-time work suit me: flexible hours (check!), fun (check!), accountability (I’m thinking about, and working on, this), allowing myself breaks (other than Facebook!), variety – alternating computer and physical/creative tasks (check!), and commitment (check!)

Setting the intention that I will commit to working for a set period of time each day will help keep me from distraction, I hope. The addition of self-recognition for a job well done to this set of needs is important. I’ve always been a seeker of praise, and giving myself some (because who else is going to do it?) will help motivate me to continue working effectively; the only way I’ll get the praise it to do the work.

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