You'll Never Find Time for Your Art — Here's What to Do Instead

Let’s talk about time. Specifically, why you’ll never “find” time to make your art.

A designer friend of mine, Jess, recently asked me: “How do I find more time to work on my own art?”

That one little word—find—was the problem.

No one finds time. Time isn’t loose change hiding under the couch cushions. If you’re waiting to find time, you’ll be waiting until the grave.

The truth? You don’t find time. You make it.

When I was freelancing full-time, I used to tell myself I’d paint when I had time. Evenings, weekends, whatever extra space was left over after client work. Spoiler: there was never any extra space. And even when there was, I was exhausted.

Then it hit me—if my priority was to be a full-time artist, why wasn’t I giving my art my best creative energy?

So I flipped the script. Instead of finding time, I made it. First thing in the morning, before client work, before emails, before anything that drained my creative energy. I defended that time like my life depended on it... Because in a way, it did.

And guess what? The client work still got done. The laundry still got folded. But my own work—the thing I wanted most—was no longer fighting for scraps.

So here’s your homework: If you want to create, make the time. And defend it with your life.

There are more proven ways to prioritize your creative work and actually get it done.

There are also proven ways to figure out what you even want to create in the first place... and to make sure it's aligned with your heart and soul.

P.S. Here are some of the other topics in this upcoming issue.

Which of these hit home for you? Reply and let me know. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, now's your time.