Sharon Good, BCC of Good Life Coaching
1. Many creative people find themselves staring at a blank piece of paper for hours or cleaning their apartment when they should be drawing. How do they stop procrastinating? Please give 3 techniques on how to stop stalling and start creating.
SG: First, make sure this is something you really want to do. If you’re doing it because you think you should or someone else thinks you should, you’re going to stall. You may be really good at writing or painting, but if you don’t have that inner drive to do it, don’t force yourself. You probably have numerous other gifts and talents you can explore.
Set aside specific times to do your creative work. Be realistic about when you can do it – for example, not when you’re exhausted from a 10-hour day at work – and have someone you can be accountable to, such as a spouse, friend or coach.
Also, be realistic about how much you can do. Start small. Don’t feel you have to begin by working on it every day. Start with one or two hours and build from there. Once you get some momentum going, you’ll naturally want to put in more time.
2. Is there a way to use procrastination as part of a creative process or is all procrastination considered bad?
SG: There are times in the creative process when you need to walk away from it and let new ideas bubble up. What you’re calling “procrastination” may actually be “germination.” Sometimes, the greatest inspiration comes when you’re not directly focusing on your project. That goes for any project, not just works of art. It could be a report you need to write or a workshop you’re developing.
Sharon Good, BCC, is President of Good Life Coaching Inc. and a board certified Life, Career and Creativity Coach based in New York City. She works with clients from all walks of life to clarify fulfilling career directions and create happier lives. She helps artists achieve their creative and business goals and assists writers in completing their work and getting published or self-publishing. Sharon has taught career and creativity classes for the 92nd Street Y, the Learning Annex and New York University, and she trains coaches for The Life Purpose Institute, NYU, the Creativity Coaching Association and several other coach training organizations. She is the author of several books published by Good Life Press, including Creative Marketing Tools for Coaches and The Tortoise Workbook: Strategies for Getting Ahead at Your Own Pace.