How I’m trying to get out of a slump.

daily magic

28 May

Getting out of a period full of commissions, where it’s easy to figure out priorities and work schedules, straight into one without any deadlines, expectations or existing structure at all, is proving to be as challenging as I predicted. Thank heavens I had this little emergency list of to do’s (and don’ts) to fall back on. Here’s how I’m getting out of the post-commissions slump!

restarting my favourite routines.

A busy schedule didn’t always leave room for the kind of down-time I used to enjoy the most. From reading, to daily (short) runs or walks; I’m trying to start them all up again, because I definitely feel like they have a gigantic influence on how my brain works for the rest of the day. Like, full-on functioning in between the occasional breaks, you know?

starting from scratch.

Going through all of my written/pinned down ideas from the past is really helping with boosting my own creativity. That part of me was just a tad out of practice, you see, as I was mostly following client input for the majority of this past half year and beyond. There’s still a ways to go (you DO NOT want to know the size of that - old school - Pinterest board), but I think I’ve figured out at least two things I want to start on as soon as possible, and I can’t wait!

finding new ways to organise myself.

My desk, for one, was in desperate need of some re-organising, as well as our workspace in general. That last one is still a work in progress, but at least my own little corner is starting to look more like an organised illustrator’s nook, haha! In addition to that, I’ve spoiled myself with a new laptop, and it’s been a real treat getting to take it out with me and working wherever I want. It’s amazing how much freedom such a small (yet very expensive, jeez) thing offers, and what it can do to one’s motivation. That and the stickers I finally put to good use. Oh, and also back in business? My Notion account. Although I don’t very much like how much they’re pushing AI. I understand it’s probably a trend that will be sticking around, especially in that area, but well… Let’s just say that the first and only prompt I put in was to ‘kindly leave me the F alone, please and thank you’.

sticking to what I love,
and standing up for it, if necessary.

From taking an anti-AI stance, to speaking up about what’s going on in the world, and keeping things personal when it comes to my work… I more and more realise how important those thing’s are for me. Sure, even the smallest illustrator, when wanting to grow and move forward, has to jump on a couple of commercial trend trains, but I am now an even stronger believer in staying true to yourself, and am convinced that it’s the only way to not hit a wall somewhere in the future.

learning to clock out.

Last but not least; my ability to clock out has taken some major leaps in the past weeks. So much so that I might be on the verge of overdoing it. I blame my incredible porch and the great cook that is my boyfriend, but while, yes, I believe that I’d better kick it up a notch when it comes to keeping up my side-business, the ability to (more than) occasionally switch that off to spend more time with loved ones, and just enjoy life in general, is a very good one. Take note!