Art as Business: evaluation II

the kitchen window at KKV, artist run collective workshops, where I've done too much voluntary work.

Last week I felt it was time for me to start asking what I had done and what I had achieved when it comes to my Art as Business tasks. I then took a look at Public Art and Galleries, today I continue with Time Management...

Time management: Yes and No

• Cluster. YES. I’ve been a good girl.
• Using my calendar. YES, better than ever. For both deadlines and planning. For every night but Saturday I’ve scheduled tasks to do.
• Liberate more time. NO, I’ve worked more than ever (see above). Today I took a look in the back mirror (that is ical, my calendar on the computer). I could very easily see that the problem has not been that I’ve not been disciplined; I’ve worked hard and I’ve met deadlines without any problems. No – I have absolutely done too many different things.
• Long term planning. NO, more or less nothing.

Conclusion
As I have not managed to liberate more time, I have not been able to do any long term planning or taken any time off (much needed). My problem is not about discipline, it is not about planning – it is about over committing. I don’t seem to be able to evaluate how much time things will take – I just think “I can do that” or “that would be fun”. I am a bit aware of the problem though and actually withdraw from two group exhibitions and an art talk in April. (what was I thinking first saying yes? Besides those things would probably not even have generated money).

Recommendation to self

• Face it - you are not a superhero with control over time(I might have other powers though!)
  
• Fewer art projects
• Limit the voluntary work to 2-3 hours a week (In autumn I wrote 1 hour, but that was totally unrealistic)
• Only commit to voluntary work that could lead somewhere or be acknowledged (I’ve spend years doing things no one seems to have noticed. Someone else will have to take over – I’ve done my part). And these commitments altogether should be realistic for the scheduled 2-3 hours/week.

I'm not feeling well today, so this post will be a bit shorter than I originally planned. I will continue next week with evaluating teaching art and how I am doing when it comes to reaching my main goals (should I change strategies?).