let’s talk about balancing your creative side-hustle with your dream career
Whether you’re making as a full-time gig, a side-hustle, or as a creative outlet, it’s just important to do it. And do it consistently \\
I’ve really been “making” or “creating” for as long as I can remember. Making and balancing projects is who I am. One of my first projects as a child were illustrated and colored paper clothes for my paper dolls. Another (hilarious) one was painted rocks in which I tried to sell on the side of the 65mph highway leading off our driveway. I also started a ‘Bunny Book’ early on with my dad, who is also an artist, based on a few childhood pet rabbits. I played soccer from age 4 until age 18 but making never left my thoughts and if there wasn’t time to dive into something, my creativity manifested in other ways.
I always balanced creativity with whatever else I had going on in my life. And it took me until I turned 25 to realize that it’s a necessary part of me. And by that, I mean it’s a necessary part of me if it’s in parallel running to my full-time career (which will always be spent being creative also). Am I crazy? Still trying to figure that one out.
I graduated from architecture school at age 23 and we moved to Portland, OR where I launched my career at an amazing architecture firm, focusing so much of my creativity energy on my job day-in and day-out. Within those first few months in Portland, surrounded by so many talented makers, I was introduced to weaving and became immediately obsessed. The feeling of making from my younger years came rushing back and the ability to create something tangible and in a completely new medium was exhilarating to me.
I dove into weaving in my spare time.. early mornings, late nights, weekends, on vacations, etc. and to be honest, the first few years were rough. The rough part was the guilt. I felt guilty for trying to balance anything outside of my career with… well, my career. I felt guilty for spending my early or late hours exploring this medium and not putting that creative energy back into my architectural projects. The way I initially viewed it was that if I was going to be creative, 100% of my time and creative energy (and commitment to making) should be going into my job.
It wasn’t until I was a few years into it that I let go and allowed myself to see how creating in my off-hours really strengthened my skillset, productivity, and overall output in my full-time architecture career. And then I saw it was necessary. I’ve gotten asked so many times when will I make house\\weaving a full-time gig, and my answer is: at this current moment, house\\weaving is only made stronger by the work I do in my full-time career.
In balancing these, I’ve found that:
If I allowed myself to explore different ways of problem-solving on the weekends, I would have a fresh perspective come Monday morning.
The way I leaned into my fiber community for support, I could lean into my architecture community tenfold. (And I will forever be grateful for the relationships that bloomed from that courage.)
Negotiating and client-building skills are hard-earned and part of every profession, just at different scales. This encouraged me to lean more into areas of my profession that I hadn’t quite been exposed to yet.
I built a stronger voice for myself that allowed me to talk about my architectural projects in much more elevated way.
I learned it’s healthy to step away from anything when needed from a break- “If you get tired, learn to rest and not to quit.”(Banksy). I have long moments where I will go without making because I am simply exhausted. And that is OK! But I always have a plan to pick it back up.
It’s ok to love your career and also love your creative side-hustle.
So, I tell you all of this not to bore you, but to tell you that it is worth it to learn to balance your creative desires with whatever else you’re doing in your life. Where I sit now, I feel that I am stronger because of my ability to balance creativity with whatever it is I am pursuing as a career. Sometimes they are parallel, sometimes they intertwine, and sometimes they are opposite paths. And that only helps me grow in all the ways I need to be growing.
Here are some best practices to help you balance what is important to you \\
Rest and relax often. This is the most important tip of them all. The whole point of pursuing your creative outlet or side-hustle is to be doing what you enjoy. You won’t be happy or enjoying what you do if you’re burnt-out or stressed because you aren’t prioritizing your well-being. You may also find that your creativity sparks when you give yourself a moment away from all of the thoughts, ideas, and to-do’s that consume most days. Give yourself at least one day a week where you don’t do anything!
Schedule your creative time in your calendar. Write it down. Make a reminder for yourself. I have a block on my calendar every day from 5:30am-7am reserved just for house\\weaving. Sometimes I add a night block, or move the block around as needed. It is just important that it is there.
Prioritize. Little steps, 15 minutes a day, one task a day… every little bit helps and if you’re able to channel your time and spend it with intention, you’ll be that much closer to reaching your goals.
Be organized. Part of using your time efficiently is being organized. This means not only your workspace, but in your mind. Have a million thoughts or ideas? Dedicate a notebook, sketchbook or online notebook (I use Evernote and Google Docs) and write it all down. So many of those great ideas float away if you aren’t able to capture them and you can always evaluate the value and potential later.
The 4 lists you need in your practice are:
Daily Tasks
Weekly Tasks
Projects
Wishlist Projects
Spend your time daydreaming and researching. And by this, I do not mean scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest and finding another artist’s work to copy. Give yourself the credit you deserve by looking inward at what you enjoy, what you find to be interesting, what you’re good at, and how you can provide value. And then start finding a way to create out of those things, not out of what you think you can emulate online.
Share your thoughts, goals, and work with others. Whether this is on social media, conversations with friends, or in whatever way you feel comfortable, putting your work out there will help you stay accountable. Also- own it!! It took me so long to feel comfortable sharing, but the more I lean into it, the more I get out of it.
(If you’re able to), outsource help to free up time for what you need for your growth and creativity. Not great with accounting? Graphics? Shipping? Website management? So many other talented people are and are willing to provide their services.
Use ‘automation’ or planning apps to keeping you consistent and present. My current favorite app is Planoly, where I can schedule IG posts ahead of time so I don’t have to be logging in during the middle of my day to share my work!
… Also, know the right times to post or be on social media. Check your ‘insights’ and see when you’re getting the most traffic. You should be able to plan your social media time accordingly.
Be selective with your work. I know the feeling of having 293832983 ideas and only having time to really do 1 or 2 of them. Quality over quantity will allow you to not only build and scale quicker, but also find the most fulfillment and growth when there is time for intention and reflection.
Answering your questions \\
I requested any questions back in February on this topic, so I wanted to address them here.
Would you consider what you do a side-hustle or creative outlet?
It varies but in this current moment, I would consider it both. I am working hard to share my knowledge and build a platform that others can learn off of, but I also am focusing my 2021 projects on exploration of other mediums that isn’t about creating a profit. I am actively growing, but my main services are mostly commissioned-base, which allows me the flexibility to say no to focus on my full-time career.
In previous years, it took on more of a side-hustle form than anything, where I would have commissions scheduled a year or two out and I’d be balancing creative markets or shows where I’d have to pre-make multiple weavings.
Last summer, I decided to dip my toes into making with other mediums and fell in love with all that I learned and how it helped inform my weaving practice. For 2021, I made a plan for myself to explore as much as possible. Read more about that here.
Where does your priority lie?
My full-time (dream) career, of course! I recently decided to pivot from architecture to construction and I can’t explain the amount of excitement and opportunity I am ready to embrace in this next chapter. That being said, a close-second priority is my creative practice outside of work. I don’t know what that balance will look like quite yet in this new role but I fully intend to use all that I have learned in the last six years to continue my explorations and making.
How do you fit it all in one day and maintain the energy for both?
I would like to thank the five years of long nights in architecture school for my ability to push myself to the extreme to do the things I love. I have created a much healthier balance post-school, and rely on my schedule, planning ahead, and listening to my body when it’s time to rest. I mentioned this above, but I tend to spend either the early morning hours or the late night hours and weekends dedicated to my creative outlet.
How do you manage your time to get the small business stuff done?
My main ways: staying organized and staying focused! I use my to-do lists and my calendars to focus my energy on what is truly necessary (hint: not ALL is necessary), and be clear about when these tasks need to be done. I think critically about which tasks are necessary to do every day, and which are necessary to do every week, month, etc. You might find that some of your “to-do’s” are actually “would be nice” items. But do remember that in order to keep your business organized, running smoothly, and to keep it growing, this is just part of it!
Where do most of your ideas and inspiration come from when you have little time to think about it?
To be honest, I find inspiration everywhere! If you’re having a hard time finding inspiration on a daily basis, you might need to change your perspective just a bit to see that there is so much in your environment, relationships, conversations, and most importantly, memories! Inspiration can be anything that sparks interest to you. I also try to fit in as much reading as possible. Read about other artists, about places, or concepts. Do some journaling or sketching. Look at old photographs or daydream about future vacations. All of these things provide a new perspective.
So much of my inspiration comes from either memories, my environment, reading or browsing literature that contains inspirational people or concepts.
I make myself a running list or a jot a quick sketch on a sticky note if something comes to me. You’ll find that the great ideas will come to you whenever they do and you can capture them for when you have time later.
How do you establish boundaries?
Recognizing priorities and setting a plan. I’ve learned through trial and error the last ~5 years with house\\weaving that setting boundaries is hard work (and always will be), but it can be very rewarding. I set boundaries in many ways:
with projects… not taking on more than I can handle and more than my schedule allows me
with clients… being up-front and clear with expectations
with my own expectations of my work… I am a perfectionist and a project may never feel “done” to me but when I’ve checked off my goals, I’ve achieved the “end” and need to move on
with my time… schedule, schedule, schedule. And grace. If I can’t meet a deadline or fit in that extra project, it is OK.