Productivity is about creating instead of consuming content

BE A CREATOR NOT A CONSUMER

Today I’m sharing a tip that has helped my art career immensely. Once I changed my perspective on my own art and productivity my whole course of action changed. Here it is: Create before you consume.

All successful full-time artists act as creators, not consumers. They draw, draw, draw, and only peek at what others are doing after they’re done. They don’t spend all day on their feeds gawking at what other illustrators have made or where their next exhibit is being held. If you consume other people’s content all day, you won’t have time to create your own.

PRODUCTIVITY IS ABOUT YOUR MINDSET

This is about productivity, but it’s truly a mindset tip. You have to focus on what art YOU are putting out. When was the last time you made a quality piece of work to post online that you’re proud of? When did you last try a new technique? Make a new product? Apply to be a vendor in an art show? Reach out to another artist to collaborate? In short, stay in your lane.

Of course you want to be engaged in the artist community and with your audience, but you can do this in a condensed 30 minutes — not three hours spaced out through the course of the day. You spent more time watching others and commenting on their work when you don’t keep track of how much you’re doing it.

Plus, it’s easy to compare yourself to others and end up feeling bad about yourself. We all know the feeling. After that, producing new work is even harder.

INSPIRATION NOT REPLICATION

The key is to not compare and to not let your inspiration-seeking become copying. Looking at beautiful illustration of coffee cups and cacti is great, but everyone draws these things. Everyone. And replicating someone’s unique ideas makes them less unique and makes you less genuine. Copying can happen intentionally (which is ethically and sometimes legally wrong) or it can happen by accident if you gain inspiration solely from what other people are doing.

You need to find inspiration in other areas. Here are some ideas to help spark your mind:

1. Go for a walk. What objects do you see that you’d like to draw?
2. Ever paid attention to architecture? What’s the prettiest building you’ve ever seen?
3. Read more. Getting inspiration from a totally non-visual piece of work is my go-to.
4. What are your actual interests? Mythology? Goth fashion? Cooking?

If you feel stuck, ask someone else what they’d like to see you draw. Two heads are better than one.

MAKE TIME, DON’T WASTE TIME

To help you avoid wasting time consuming other content, schedule a time for scrolling pointlessly and set a timer. Yes, really. (Even if you ignore the timer and scroll past it, it will show you how much time you’re really wasting on consumption.)

Schedule a time for creation each day. Make sure your creation time is significantly longer than your consumption time (obviously). And no cheating by squeezing in Facebook lurking during your day job or wherever! If you have time to consume, you have time to create.

Success as an artist is about making time. This choice takes dedication and a ton of self discipline. You are your own manager and you have to train yourself to act like one. It’s not glamorous or cool but it works — the results from your hard work are the cool part.

If you want some proven methods for making time when it feels like you just can’t squeeze in any painting, read my article here. You’ll never say “I don’t have time,” ever again.

CREATE INFLUENCE

Another way to wrap your mind around this mental shift is to think about it in terms of influence. In the blogging world, which I’m slowly melting into, creators are also referred to as influencers. They have influence over their followers and readers. Their readers look to them for advice, direction, inspiration, and more.

Who you spend time with, who you look at, who you follow all affect the way you think and act. It’s like when your mom told you at 13 to stop hanging out with the “bad influence” kid at school because she thought being around them might have a lasting impact on you — except in a positive way.

Influencers give you a new perspective on things and provide value to you with a personal touch. They’re admired for their creativity, their intellect, their originality. When the draw something, you think about where you might hang it in your home. When they wear something, you think about the clothes in your closet that would match it. They have an impact.

Be that person.

It’s okay to be influenced, but you have to also be an influencer. A creator. A leader.

This takes time and patience. You don’t have a second to waste, so stop consuming others’ content and start creating your own.