Managing Your Time, when Music isnt Your Day Job

You CAN do everything.

Repeat.

You CAN do everything. What you cannot do, however, is do everything at the same time, or create a day that's longer than 24 hours.

The two most important aspects of time management are acceptance and choice. When you think of time in terms of acceptance and choice, you're never "wrong", "bad", or "lazy", you've just made certain choices. When you think in terms of discipline and willpower, however, your inner critic can really do a number on you. We already have low self-esteem as artists; let's not add to the problem!!

An example of this from my own life is that I choose to live alone instead of with a roommate; that means I also choose higher rent and the need to bring in enough income to cover that rent. When sneaky thoughts of resentment or self-pity creep in to my head, I need to remember the choice that I made, and I need to accept this is how things are for now.

Here are some tips for using choice and acceptance to manage your time.

Decide what you want to have time for. What keeps getting pushed to the back burner or rushed through? How will you spend your time once you've made your songwriting dreams come true and you've become the artist you're meant to be? Nourish this vision until it's clear in your mind. It's essential to know what you're working towards. Remember, you won't always be this busy unless you choose to be.

Choose not to be this busy ? for one week, track your time using a time log. You can make one yourself; simply chart out (on paper or on the computer) your day in fifteen-minute intervals and then record what you do in each of those blocks of time. Completing a time log will illuminate how much time you're spending on different things. Look carefully at the choices you're making. What do you most want to do with the time you have available?

Accept your day job for what it is ? a source of the financial support you need to eat and live ? and write songs! Practice feeling grateful for the job you have, instead of feeling resentful about the time it's taking away from your songwriting. For instance, what recording equipment, CD's, manuscript paper, software programs or musical instruments have you bought from the money you earned in this job? Also, the job is giving you life experiences, and most likely lots of opportunities to interact with other people. Your passion is to communicate with people through your music ? how can you take some of that passion and apply it to your day-to-day interactions? What kind of stories do your co-workers have to tell? What ideas do those stir up for you that you can use in your writing?

Look for a "day job" that's meaningful and that's taking you in the direction of your dreams. Do you need some ideas? Try meditating to access inner wisdom and spiritual guidance. If songwriting is your primary passion, what's your second passion? What ELSE gets your juices flowing? There's no need to be in a job that doesn't make you feel alive, in order to support what does. Some artists that I know get lots of fulfillment from teaching children or adults about their craft. Others take jobs that involve public speaking, to give them more experience and confidence talking to groups. Some take jobs in music stores, where they can have lots of time to learn about the newest equipment, meet lots of fellow artists, and get a discount, to boot!

Schedule time with yourself for your songwriting, collaborating and rehearsing. Keep these dates with yourself and others as sacred appointments!

Be good to your body and don't sacrifice sleep for productivity (if you keep doing that, you won't be in much shape to produce anything!).

There are only a couple of things that we really NEED to do every day. Everything else is a choice.

This article was originally published on the Muses Muse Songwriter's Resource website (November 2004) http://www.musesmuse.com.

(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. To receive her free monthly newsletter, "Everyday Artist", subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/artist-n ewsletter.html

---

Improvising On The Piano: Jazz Musicians Do It -- Why Not Other Styles?

Why jazz piano improvisation?Why not gospel piano improvisation?Is it not... Read More

How to Compose Your Own Music Using 8-bar Phrases

Some people think composing is this miraculous thing that only... Read More

Why Learning How to Improvise is So Important

Imagine asking a beginning writer to write a short story... Read More

Getting the Best Performance From Your Artist

So now you've decided to record your songs. Good for... Read More

Guitar Players...Get a Balanced Guitar Practice Diet

Do you have a wide variety of things that you... Read More

Guitar Practice - Make It Your Priority!

Every student realizes that guitar practice is important if they... Read More

Dont Go Tubthumping

I have always had a big problem with my addiction... Read More

Shopping For Your First Drum Set

Your first drum set purchase is very exciting! You have... Read More

The First The American Idol Kelly Clarkson

There is a lot more to the story that meets... Read More

Is Your Child Capable of Composing Music? Maybe the Next Mozart?

We've all heard of them. Child prodigies who begin composing... Read More

Learn to Read Music Online

If you or anyone you know wants to learn to... Read More

The Revolution of Electric Guitars

Sometime during the 1930's electric guitars were introduced onto the... Read More

Hip Hop Clothing

Celebrities now such as Outkast, a fashion wear can be... Read More

Music Industry Secrets Revealed - How To Become Succesful The Music Industry Without A Record Deal

Before the internet, unsigned music artists couldnt make a living,... Read More

Review: Coheed and Cambria - Second Stage Turbine Blade

Ever wonder what would happen if you mixed the progressive... Read More

Wal-Mart Music Downloads, Napster and Other Legal Digital Music Download Sites

Digital Music Download. Ever since file-sharing programs entered the hard... Read More

Rickenbacker 4003 Electric Bass Guitar

The Rickenbacker 4003 electric bass guitar is one of the... Read More

Your First Guitar

Congratulations, you just bought you first guitar! Now that you've... Read More

The Case Against Traditional Piano Lessons

How would you like to spend 4 years in a... Read More

Guide to Finding Music Online

Are you frustrated because finding your favorite songs on the... Read More

The Acoustic Guitar

The steel-stringed acoustic guitar is usually credited with being developed... Read More

Why New Musicians (Rappers) Fail: Three Reasons and Solutions

Despite the title of this article, the purpose of it... Read More

Common Thoughts That Kill Inspiration

Do you sit down at the piano and feel anxiety... Read More

New Age Piano and Improvisation

There are so many areas in life where one must... Read More

Musical Improvisation Basics - Four Strategies For Playing Wrong Notes

While it probably doesn't seem like this would help -... Read More

Music for Cross Cultural Accelerated Learning

The Search for the Right MusicEver since Georgi Lozonav, the... Read More

Warner Music Executive Payments

"In human life, art may arise from almost any activity,... Read More

How To Dress Up Naked Music On The Piano

What in the world is "naked music?"You know it when... Read More

What is Guitar Tablature and Can I Find It Online?

The guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments... Read More

Patriotic Music: Surprising Secrets About Those Flag-Waving Sounds

Whether played by a marching band, an orchestra, or a... Read More

Free, Legal Music Online

Almost everyone has heard about the massive crack down on... Read More

10 Ways for Unknown Musicians to Get the Word Out

When Clear Channel controls the radio and the monopoly newspaper... Read More

Legal Free Music Downloads - Songs You Want at No Cost

It's all over the news these days. Download music from... Read More