What would I do with ten minutes of creative time if I were away from my studio? Well, I could stitch or draw. Having materials readily available would be ideal but even without a project at hand I am sure I could occupy myself.

At the recent “Coaching the Artist Within” course taught by Eric Maisel we were given instructions to create for ten minutes. Since I did not have a stitching project at hand I decided to write. I opened my notebook and began. In ten short minutes I wrote 200 words that provide the frame for this essay.

First I considered how many minutes I waste in a day. I think of myself as efficient and effective. However, I know that there are many minutes in my day that I could devote to my creative work that just slip by. If I started adding them up I wonder what I would find.

I happen to be a morning person. My best creative time is early in the morning. It is not unusual for me to arise at 4:00 am and go to my studio. I love the quiet. I often find that I have solutions to design problems when I wake up. I can quickly move into work mode.

I have learned that I can accomplish a lot before Gary wakes up. Since I value my morning chats with him I am usually happy to join him for coffee when he is ready to start his day. The added bonus is that I know I have already started my creative work for the day.

In the early 1990s I discovered a book by Nancy Zieman entitled 10*20*30 Minutes to Sew. The book helped me to change my attitude about having enough time to work in my studio. Although the book contained many specific suggestions for using bits of time for sewing tasks, it offered me a framework for organizing my work life. I have held the concept of using my time effectively since reading Zieman’s book. It has helped to motivate me to work smarter.

Another concept that has helped me to become more efficient and effective come from a colleague at the Bridgepoint Center for Eating Disorders where Gary and I work as facilitators. My colleague Brenda Rose often asks clients, “How does this serve you?” It is a question that I often ask myself. How does it serve me to take on one more volunteer job? How does it serve me to watch one more hour of television? It is such a great question.

I certainly know that it serves me well to see ten minutes as an opportunity to do something necessary and useful. I can wash the dishes in ten minutes. I can take a shower in ten minutes. I can complete many tasks in my studio in just ten minutes.

Eric Maisel suggested that we could train ourselves to think that ten minutes is enough time to work. If we practice using ten minutes regularly our bodies and minds will become accustomed to creating in short intervals. Think of how much more productive we could all be if we used every opportunity to use a spare ten minutes to create.

© C O P Y R I G H T   2 0 0 7.  Mary Sullivan Holdgrafer ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.