How do you motivate yourself?

[spagbog]

I've been working from home for a while, but I find it so hard recently to get any motivation to make jewelerry, start painting etc. I just want to come on the laptop and surf the web or do anything but what I should be doing.

Once I get into it Im ok, but having a real problem recently with imagination and motivation. Any tips??

[wendy]

I think this is a common problem!

I set myself time limits now for computer use - I'm having a coffee break right now.

I also make a "next-day-list" - a list of what I plan to complete for the next day. I do this at the end of each day. I used to have a book for it but now I have scraps of paper. I think I'll go back to using the book, it was good to be able to look through it and see how much I'd actually done and how far I'd come.

Sometimes I find it helps to start something at the end of each session, so there is something already started to work on.

The other side of this coin though is working too hard, and I have neglected my garden of late and feel seriously guilty about the very dead-looking tomato plants in my greenhouse.

[Rico121]

I have the same problem, I find its best to turn everything off by the plug, the TV, Playstation etc all but the Stereo, whack on some background music, not to hectic otherwise I find myself jumping round the room to it and this way you have something going on in the background to get the creative juices flowing but you can also focus on the job in hand.

I also find it better to breaks every hour or so or I get demotivated and can't be bothered to go on.

Hope this helps

[Louise77]

I find if you are lacking in inspiration, then simply fiddling about with or re-organzing your bead/crafty stash often gets the ideas flowing when you are stuck.
Also you can google some images of jewellery or whatever and often an idea will spark (not to advocate blatant copying, just top get an idea of colours or styles that might work or that you have not tried before).

If you really need to, give yourself a deadline like ...... book yourself in for a craft fair or jewellery party etc, then you will NEED to make X amount of stock to have enough to display!

Maybe a visit to a place that sells jewellery you like will inspire you?

Louise
x

[Glitterbug]

I do find that I need deadlines. I should be making stock for Christmas at the moment but it seems such a long way off. I'll be sorry though when it gets to November and I'm rushing around like a blue a**** fly!

[C Hupfield Ceramics]

Your not the only one to suffer this problem!

I'm the same, although I like to think that I am surfing the net/reading the crafts forum/looking at blogs etc to get inspiration

Thinking in that way does make you feel a whole lot better

[Fluffy Squirrel]

Yep, I'm another one who finds it difficult to get motivated.

With my cardmaking I have a dreadful habit of leaving it until the last week before a craft fair then it's a panic to get enough stock made.

As for my painting though, it's just for me so never seems to get done these days

I am definitely going to start a 'to do' diary though and allocate certain days/times, etc to specific tasks and ranges as well as making a list of what we need for ourseves for Christmas, etc and what I need for the website and craft fairs.

I agree though that switching off the pc/laptop and just having some chillout music in the background can help to get me crafting... I usually listen to Magic radio as it's relatively relaxed.

Hopefully lists, etc will help me to get motivated

[bodrighy]

My problem is doing what needs doing. I'll go in the shed and determine to make such and such for someone then I see this piece of wood and think ' that would make a lovely vase or hollow form' and before I know it i have it up on the lathe and spinning. I really need to do as Si suggests as set myself specific targets for the day and write them down.

Pete

[greannancrafts]

I look at my production sheets, see there is 36hours work to do in a day and just get on with it

Jane

[boden girl]

I know exactly what you mean - I'm having the same thing myself.
I find it difficult with young children and my husband working shifts to get specific times when I can get on - I have to grab time while I can. It is difficult like that though, as when you have a few days 'off' you get out of the swing of things and your inspiration and drive for new projects goes out of the window!
I have just arranged to put my cards/bags into a craft shop today (will be putting my stuff in over the next week or so) so REALLY need to get myself into gear!

[AnnieAnna]

I'll be no help at all
I've got sooooooooo many orders I want to know how to find the time to live. (Must learn to stick to 9 to 5. 8am to 11pm is silly!)

Seriously, I do lists.
Sorted into must do or hate to do then a treat.
Then I colour things out as they get done.
I NEVER get through the whole list but the colouring looks pretty.

AnnieAnna

[greannancrafts]

I'll be no help at all
I've got sooooooooo many orders I want to know how to find the time to live. (Must learn to stick to 9 to 5. 8am to 11pm is silly!)

Seriously, I do lists.
Sorted into must do or hate to do then a treat.
Then I colour things out as they get done.
I NEVER get through the whole list but the colouring looks pretty.

AnnieAnna

i do lists, and lists of lists!

I always put on my list "go to bed" - I nearly always manage that

Jane

[C Hupfield Ceramics]

I agree, "To Do" lists are good to use, and its satisfying to tick each thing off. Iwill often tick various things off one list and then make a new one with some of the things from the previous list carried through onto it because they didn't get done, usually the most boring things. After a while I start to get sick of seeing it on my list so I do it to get it out the way!!

[woodtattoos]

Sometimes it is really hard to concentrate on the task in hand... far too many distractions!

But then there's also days like today... I looked at my list of remaining tasks to do for the book (a nice chart with red boxes for "not started", yellow for "in progress" and green for "all done"). I put my MP3 player on, my head down and my nose to the grindstone.

11 hours of solid work later, over 8600 words written and loads more boxes now coloured green and yellow... only a couple of reds left for relatively easy tasks that I can get under way tomorrow.

And now for the next task in hand... "find beer" = yellow, "drink beer" = red.

Catch ya later!

Si.

[spagbog]

sounds like a to do list is the way ahead