In these days of economic uncertainty when people are clinging to their jobs and trying to figure out ways to pay the ever spiralling fuel and food bills, it may seem like too much of a luxury to find time for creative pursuits. It is tempting to think of creativity as ‘not being in the real world’ and let work, family and financial responsibilities rule our lives.

Earlier on in the summer I had become very busy with my business commitments and had not done any writing for a few weeks. At first this didn’t worry me but then I really started to miss my morning writing and the act of honouring my creativity. An aspect of my life started to feel empty and I noticed a touch of envy seeping into my psyche as I enjoyed the fruits of other artists.

Around that time I spent a fabulous Saturday evening at a friend’s barbeque and we ended up sitting in their garden until quite late listening to classic music tracks – everything from the Sgt Pepper album to Amy Winehouse to Bridge Over Troubled Water. As I sat enjoying those tracks it struck me that the composers and performers of such wonderful music were probably told at some point by those around them “to go out and get a proper job” or “you’ll never make money doing that” or “you should be taking better care of your family”.

But what if they had taken that advice? Generations of music fans would have been denied these songs. We all attach our own special memories and emotions to a particular piece of music but how would we feel if that music had never existed? It was then that I realised that honouring one’s creativity was a serious responsibility and if one didn’t fulfil that responsibility then a huge loss would occur.

So how do we find time in our busy lives to be creative? It is too easy to focus on what we can’t do. We say, “I don’t have time. By the time I get the train home it is 8pm and then it’s dinner and bed.” OK, that may be the reality but what about what we can do? At the moment I can only manage ten or fifteen minutes of writing at a time – but boy does it feel good to do that.

In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron talks about “laying track”. By this she means the little and often creative activity that eventually adds up to a piece of art. It doesn’t matter, for example, how long it takes to write a book – it just matters that you keep on writing. Laying track might mean writing four bars of music or writing a single paragraph of a novel or doing a quick sketch. Every time you lay down a piece of track, you can move closer to your destination. Laying track doesn’t have to take up huge amounts of time. Some days you may be able to lay several metres of track, other days you might only be able to put in a couple of screws. Both the metres of track and the screws are just as important; both deserve a pat on the back for progress made and both will make you feel that you have fulfilled your creative responsibility for the day.

How can you carve out little pockets of time for your creativity? I have recently acquired a dishwasher and the services of a cleaner as I calculated that freeing myself from these domestic chores would save me two to three hours of time a week that I can use for my own pursuits. Set out what you can do, even if it is only a few minutes, and then with sheer minded determination make sure that you do it. How can you protect that precious creative time? Do you need to go to bed earlier, mark it out on a calendar or get buy-in from your spouse and family?

The world is a tough place at the moment and the forecasts are that it will get worse before it gets better. We can lay track and make art even as we batten down the hatches. Our creativity can flourish even if the economy doesn’t!

Usually, I am not a big fan of the audition stages of reality shows. I love X-Factor when they’ve picked the final 12 and are doing live performances every week but I can’t bear the cringe level and the delusions of some of those who audition. So it has come as quite a surprise that I have found myself watching and enjoying Britain’s Got Talent which is still in the audition stage.

Although the acts are varied in contents, the common thread among those that impress the judges are where the participants not only have talent but have worked diligently to ensure the professionalism, polish and perfection of their offering. I’ve been particularly impressed by people who have failed in auditions or last years competitions but managed to secure themselves a second chance.

A couple of weeks ago there was young man of fourteen who was ousted prior to the semi-finals of last years show. He is a street dancer and has continued to work hard at his skills. His family has limited financial means so he has been performing as a busker in Manchester as practice and to raise money for further tuition and pay for his Mum’s petrol to take him to lessons. I was very struck by his mature dedication and was pleased that he sailed through this years audition with a bigger and better act than previously.

There was also another boy of eight who was a supremely confident young man who auditioned as a singer. Although he had ‘more front than Brighton’ he wasn’t the best singer and unfortunately the judges told him this. They also told him that he had amazing stage presence, that he was very funny and that he should re-audition as a comedian. So this young boy took all of this on board, worked out a new comedy act, travelled all the way from Blackpool to London and had another go – and he was brilliant. In the time between auditions he must have worked so hard to come up with comedic material and practise it. What amazing dedication and confidence from one so young!

I hope that I too can employ this level of dedication to polish and perfect my creative offerings.

In today’s Metro newspaper, given out free in London and other cities, in the celebrity gossip column there is an interesting snippet about writing:

Jordan has said JK Rowling was ‘stunned’ when told the model hadn’t written her own books. ‘She was like gobsmacked, you know, so I said “why do you write yours?”’

Both are successful businesswomen and are at the top of their respective games. However, one is truly creative and the other is truly commercial.

It seems that most of the books that get published easily these days are ‘written’ by a celeb.

Rant over!

Yesterday my area suffered a seven hour power cut from just after 3pm to 10pm.

Initially the electricity company expected to get things sorted out by 6pm but that didn’t happen. Thankfully I have a gas hob so I was able, by fading light and candle light, to prepare chicken cooked in a saucepan with rice rather than oven-baked as I had planned. With no electricity there was no listening to the radio (as I do not have a battery powered one anymore) or watching television.

If I am alone I usually eat in front of the TV. However, last night I had what turned out to be a lovely meal at my kitchen table with just the light of two candles for company, and a glass of champagne which was still cool in the fridge. As I ate I was struck by how wonderfully silent the world is when there is no power. No whir of the fridge. No hum and rumble of the boiler and central heating system. And no distraction from the goggle box. Just the most profound stillness. I was moved to write in my journal about the experience and felt like I was Emily Bronte scratching away in the near darkness with my fountain pen.

Earlier in the day I had felt very tired and had promised myself and early night. Usually, come the end of the day, I do not keep such promises but last night, at around 9.30pm there really was nothing else to do but go to bed. I suppose in days gone by people did go to bed earlier, and consequently rise earlier, because there was no light. I’m guessing that their days must have been structured to make the most of daylight and also to get more rest and relaxation after dark.

After positioning my candles on my kitchen window sill so I could see to wash up the dishes, off I trotted to bed clutching a single candle. Still feeling so quiet and calm I got under the covers, blew out the candle and snuggled down for an early night of sleep.

Whether I had dosed off and awoken or not, I’m not sure – but a few minutes later I was aware of the glow of a light from downstairs. Ah-hah, the power must have returned. I got up to investigate and sure enough my living room light was now on. I checked my watch and it was 10pm. Perfect, I thought – now I can set the video and record Desperate Housewives. There are some things from the twenty-first century that I just cannot live without!

A couple of months ago I was interviewed on Passion For The Planet radio. This interview is now available as a podcast on Passion’s website. So if you want to hear more about how to move from your day job to your dream job then go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/12003club-passionselect.htm, and click the Free To Register button. After registering you will find a list of interesting podcasts, including mine.

If you’re a fan of the Artist’s Way or The Right To Write by Julia Cameron then you’re going to love one of her latest books Letters To A Young Artist.

Letters To A Young Artist comprises of Julia Cameron’s responses to an imaginary young artist that she is mentoring. It is written in easy to read bite-sized pieces so that you can read a few small sections a day as inspiration. Whilst it doesn’t present any new creative ‘methodology’ it is a wonderful reminder of Cameron’s techniques that are laid out in her other books and are certainly responsible for my development as a writer.

One of the things I have found most useful is her view that you don’t need oodles of time to get on and make your art. Even a few minutes a day keeps your momentum up, and in her words, ensures that you continue to “lay track” with your writing or artistic practice. In fact much of the book is about her drumming this into the young artist (and hence drumming it into me!).

The other benefit I have gained from reading the book is that I have returned to writing morning pages. This is something I have not done that regularly in the last couple of months and it is so wonderful to return to it. There is something about morning pages that helps you connect with your intuition. I find that morning pages helps me to make difficult decisions and be at peace with those decisions. Having worked very hard over the last few months on my Countess book I have recently felt quite ‘dried up’ on the creative thinking front. Somehow I think that a few days and weeks of morning pages is going to fix this!

When you work from home it can be very easy to spend the day attached to your computer and not get enough fresh air nor exercise.

Over the last couple of weeks I have been experimenting with going for a walk before I start my work and I have been thoroughly enjoying it. I go out for anything between forty minutes and an hour and I leave my mobile phone and handbag at home. It is really pleasurable to stride along unencumbered by any bags and general clap-trap. This also leaves you free to swing your arms as you walk which increases your heart rate and thus gives you a fitness benefit too.

When I get back home I have the same buzz as if I had just worked out at the gym. Even though the walk makes my start time a little later, I feel that I work more productively.

I’m doing a lot of writing at the moment so my day at the computer is quite an intense activity. However, it definitely helps to know that I have had sufficient exercise before I get lost in the creative process.

A couple of weeks ago I heard the most brilliant tip to help me keep my writing on track. All you need is a calendar or wall chart. I was told that for every day that I write I need to put a big ‘W’ on that day on the calendar.

Initially I mis-heard the advice and thought it meant that you used the calendar and the ‘W’ to plan the days when you intended to write. But then I realised that you placed the ‘W’ on the calendar after you have written.

So I have tried out this technique and found that it is really good to see exactly how often I have been committed to my writing. This highly visual record is motivating me to have as many ‘W’s as I can.

How can you adapt this method for your creative pursuits or business aims? If for example you decide that you are going to do some painting twice a week then perhaps you need to mark your calendar with a ‘P’ when you’ve done your painting and review at the end of the month whether you’ve hit your twice weekly target.

You could mark the calendar with an ‘E’ for exercise or an ‘M’ for marketing or an ‘S’ for study, depending on whatever it is to which you need to be regularly committed. The possibilities are endless.

It’s the end of the day and I am sipping my first sherry of the festive period.

I’ve had the most brilliant writing day today. At last that Christmas quietness has arrived – the time when work, business and commerce winds down and a rejuvenating headspace begins to appear. I remember, at exactly the same time last year, when after weeks of promising myself, I was finally able to sit down and easily write a long-planned for ebook.

Is it something about the rhythm of winter solstice when the day is at it shortest before sunlight begins to increase again, or is it just the day’s proximity to Christmas when the world begins to stop turning quite so fast? Who knows – but whatever it is, it works for me. I’ll hopefully be able to squeeze one more day of writing before succumbing to Christmas preparation and festivities.

Where ever you are have the most wonderful Christmas, relaxing time off and a Happy New Year

Until 2008 …

When it comes to finding time to write it is often necessary to be exact with your time management. The completion, and publication, of my novel is becoming more and more important to my overall business success. However, even I – a life coach, have found it difficult to put enough time aside to concentrate on writing. My business keeps me very busy and I have a mile long list of marketing ideas that will bring me more business – but if I spend too much time doing them then I am not writing!

In the last few days I have had to have a brutal look at that to-do list. For each item on it I have asked the question, “Is this more important that my writing?” For some of the items the answer was yes so I still need to schedule time to do the activities. And for some the answer was no. Some of the ‘no’ items are important and are good ideas, but for the time being they will have to wait and I will get back to them in a month or two.

What is it that you are never getting around to doing? Then look at the barriers that keep stopping you progressing with your aims. You can now ask yourself, barrier by barrier, which is more important. By doing this you may find some useful insights as to how you manage your time.