As caregivers, time often seems elusive, yet our perception of it can change based on our activities. Many caregivers who identify as creatives grapple with finding the time to create when even moments for basic self-care like showering are scarce.
However, years of experience and observation have made one thing clear: we find time for what truly matters to us. This doesn’t mean resorting to impractical ideas like waking up an hour early. Instead, it’s about understanding our priorities.
People’s reactions to this idea often fall into two categories: defensive denial or enlightened realization. Personally, I oscillate between these reactions. When I feel overwhelmed, I’m prone to defensiveness; when empowered, I gain clarity.
This realization led me to scrutinize my time usage, and I rediscovered my creative side. Elizabeth Gilbert, in her book “Big Magic,” likens nurturing your creativity to having an affair. When infatuated, we steal moments here and there, content with brief interactions. We remain open and ready for opportunities as they present themselves. This is how we should engage with our creativity.
Being a painter, I had relegated my art-making to the back burner. The entire process seemed like a major production requiring a four-hour block, a luxury I seldom had. My art remained untouched, and I felt devoid of inspiration.
But when I eased the self-imposed pressure and started seeing my day as a series of stolen moments for creativity, I noticed how much time I wasted, primarily on my phone, lost in the labyrinth of social media and games.
I questioned whether these activities truly served me. Were they just tools for decompression, distraction, or even mental numbing? The answer was a resounding yes. That led me to ponder: what if I spent that time creating instead?
This shift allowed me to reclaim time for something that made me feel whole and fulfilled as a caregiver: making art. In the chaos of caregiving, nurturing creativity became my sanctuary.
Here are 3 things you can do to start stealing your creative time back TODAY:
- Increase your awareness: Increasing your understanding of what you are doing and how you are spending your time is not about shaming yourself for being on social media or binging Real Housewives—it is about collecting formation. Often we function on autopilot, just getting through the day or numbing out because shit is hard. Even if it is for five minutes at a time to start, practice increasing your awareness and mindfulness. You might catch yourself on auto-pilot or realize you have been doom-scrolling for the last 25 minutes.
- Do a time audit: There are a million handouts you can print out for this, or you can make list, but you are recording what you are doing every 15 minutes or so, including sleeping and eating. This can give you a broader picture of your day and how you are using your time.
- Journal about what is important to you: Take 10-15 minutes and just freely write what is on your mind. What do you want to achieve? HOW do you want to spend your time? What do you daydream about doing? What is important to you that means you are living a life full of meaning and are in-line with your values? Doing this exercise can help you connect with your why, what is important to you, and the pieces of yourself that may have been put to the side.
What did you discover about yourself? I would love to hear about your experiences. Need an exercise to get you started? Check out my post about mindful art for step-by-step instructions.
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