5 Tips on Balancing Life and Art

I think that this is a topic that most artists face in their life. I know it very well myself, and balance is sometimes difficult to maintain when there are bills to pay. For me personally I feel the frustration when working 5 nights a week, when I could be filming, writing, painting, acting, producing ect ect ect.
How do we keep ourselves from going off the deep end and into the dark places of ourselves.

5 TIPS ON BALANCING LIFE AND ART

1. TIME MANAGEMENT
One thing that I have realized is that when being an artist/filmmaker your 'free' time needs to be managed in a way that you can continue to move forward on your projects as well as find time to do laundry and see friends. Staying organized and understanding the value of your time is an important attitude when keeping a steady momentum in an artistic career.

2. HAVE FUN!
Whether your are working full time or part time in an unrelated industry while pursuing an artistic career it is important to have fun, sounds very elementary I know but this is a big one! This will also keep you from feeling bitter and anxious about 'work'. I have taken it on as a duty at work to tell reaaaallllly bad jokes, even if I am the only one laughing at them! And when you are having fun, you are more likely to stumble upon a new idea for a project!

3. FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES
If you hang with turkeys, you won't soar with eagles. I have begun to discover that the people we surround ourselves with will impact us on many levels. Our personal and professional networks begin to intermingle, and 'hanging out for a beer' somehow turns into an impromptu photo shoot or short film, or a gig on your buddy's next feature. The hard part is recognizing that there are people in your inner circle that may throw off your balancing act. We must cut our losses, and make sacrifices that are selfish.

4. INTUITION AND GUT FEELINGS
Learn to trust your instincts. It is important to be aware of your senses. Acknowledge when an idea excites you and then act on it! That feeling of excitement (or on the other end of the spectrum, the feeling of dread) is a giant flashing arrow, steering you where you want to be, but if your radar is not on to pick up on these little signals, you may miss out on a lot of opportunity.

5. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE!
Your dreams will not be built over night, but you must continue to chip away at it with perseverance an dedication. Even if it is one small thing everyday, one audition submission before work, one blog, an e-mail to set up a meeting, one scary phone call you have been putting off. By doing a little bit everyday, you are less likely to become over-whelmed and at the same time you are constantly reminding yourself that you ARE actively pursuing your career in the arts!