Ah, the life of the freelance producer, working actor, artist, entrepreneur etc… those people who don’t have typical “day jobs” and work for themselves are everywhere in L.A. and New York. Most of you reading this probably fall into this category in one form or another. I would like to preface the following with this; the lifestyle of the freelance artist is not an easy one when you’re getting a career off the ground. I’ve done it and I know how hard it can be to find that next job or gig. That said, having the flexibility to work on your own independent projects is the absolute up-side. When you’re on your own schedule and have days where you don’t have a job, there is time to schedule that film shoot or meeting.
But what about the rest of us? Those of us who work in the industry in other ways like in an office Monday – Friday, 50+ hours a week but still want, (no need) to write our next screenplay, shoot our newest web series or meet with our production team. We can’t sacrifice our livelihood to work on our indie projects so we work on them at night or on the weekends. It’s exhausting but we can’t stop making our own work just because of time constraints. So, we work 2 jobs and often other things in life are sacrificed. I’m not complaining. I work for a studio and don’t consider it a “day job” but rather a step down the path to my ultimate career. But, until I’m there, how does one find balance? At my core, I’m a filmmaker who just simply wants to make movies and craves creativity but struggles to find the time to fulfill the need and have a personal life. There are others of my kind out there. Perhaps you’re one of us. If you are, my guess is that you have come across the same challenges.
Here are a few tips that will allow you to do it all, while keeping yourself fulfilled and sane:
1) Multi-task
Sometimes the best ideas pop up when you aren’t really trying. Keep a mental list of ideas for your project and brainstorm while you’re doing something else. Go for a hike or watch a little TV and work on your next script outline or begin to assemble that production schedule in your mind. Don’t think too hard on it, just let it come to you.
2) Observe Everything
Allow the world around you to be your inspiration. Observe those you interact with and watch people interact with each other. Once you sit down and reflect, you will be amazed at the things you remember from your day that stir up inspiration.
3) Keep a journal
Take 10 minutes at the end of each day to write about your experiences and your feelings. The entries don’t have to be monumental. Go back through them when you are ready to get to work and allow yourself to be your own muse.
4) Create a schedule
Being disciplined enough to work on your own schedule is challenging. If you like structure, create a schedule to follow so you have specific times during the day when you work and when you play. If you’re more of the spontaneous type, decide how many hours a week you will dedicate to your craft and fit it in when you can.
5) Take time for yourself
This sounds contradictory to the first few tips but we are talking about balance here, right? Spend time with yourself, your friends and family and don’t think about work, your future career, your life goals or my personal nemesis, the sound of those work e-mails coming through that I could so quickly and easily check at any time, day or night on my phone. Just be in the moment. It’s hard to do but if you make a conscious effort to shut off that part of your brain for a short time, it will start to get easier and will eventually become second nature.
6) Don’t lose sight of why you do what you do
Whatever your creative career ventures are, you started them because you loved them. Don’t lose your passion. Art is supposed to be fun. The minute it becomes anything else, it’s time to re-evaluate.