Life as an artist is full of ups and downs, which may take a toll on your energy levels. If you’re not vigilant, you may find yourself struggling to maintain your daily power reserves. Of course, you still need to get your commissions done somehow! Here are ways to keep yourself energized each day.
Drink Water Throughout the Day
What does water have to do with success as an artist? A lot, actually! Drinking water each day helps keep your body hydrated, healthy, and looking great. It helps lubricate your joints, making staple tasks such as gripping a paint brush, molding pottery, or pressing on your tablet easy and pain-free. Keep a pitcher from your reverse osmosis water filter available whenever thirst strikes.
Start the Day With a Morning Routine
If you start your day off by scrolling through your social media news feed, then you aren’t doing yourself any favors. Social media and internet use is known to drain your mental and emotional batteries, particularly when they involve mainstream media stations that serve stressful, dramatic, or terrible news. Instead of thumbing through your smartphone or flipping through channels, make it a priority to wake up to positive activities every morning:
- Take a brisk walk
- Perform yoga or meditation
- Drink a soothing cup of hot tea
- Listen to relaxing music
You can prime yourself for a productive day of artwork just by starting it with a few select activities.
Inspire Yourself
Your will to create as an artist can come and go like a gust of wind, so consistent energy can be a life saver. Get yourself on the road to success by inspiring yourself with select sources such as mementos, magazine articles, or conversations with close confidantes. Inspiration-on-demand can spike your creativity and make everything flow together effortlessly.
Focus On Progress, Not Results
A blank canvas is amazing for the professional artist because it lets you start your project from scratch. It can feel dull and overwhelming to work for hours on a project that doesn’t seem to want to become complete, though, but you can get over the inertia by changing your way of thinking. Focus on your progress so that you can appreciate how far you’ve come, and give yourself a nice energy boost to go along with it.
Chat With Other Artists
Many artists choose to pursue their careers in the solitude of their own studio, so social engagements may come few and far in-between. Although socializing isn’t a necessity for success in the art world, it can help you keep your energy going, which is a welcome bonus for your career goals. When you’re feeling down in the dumps, pick your phone up and message a friend for a quick pick-me-up. You’ll raise your energy levels and boost your social network to boot.
Keep Up With Trends in Your Field
Art can make huge waves that you can ride to your advantage, especially if you’re keeping up with the times. If you have access to art magazines, workshops, and contacts, make good use of them by staying in touch. Just a few minutes of reading each day can give you the edge you need to become a successful artist. Additionally, you will be ready for a windfall of opportunities to display your work, grow your brand, or process sales.
Scrap It!
You may feel like you should continue your art project all the way to the end if you’ve already spent countless hours on it, but doing so may not be the best choice. The sunk cost fallacy rears its ugly head here, and it’s no bueno for your art career. When you get a knotted feeling in your gut, heed its warning call and toss a project, no matter how much time you invested into it. In this case, it’s much better to start a new art project from scratch, and begin again with renewed vigor.
Artistry is your dream, and it’s great that you made it your profession! Now, it’s time to make it count. These tips will help you stabilize your energy so you can keep producing those masterpieces.