As a freelance artist you are open to an array of unconventional opportunities that people in a 9-5 office space completely miss. You get to work project to project or client to client, creating your own schedule and deadlines. While your corporate peers spend 3 hours in a meeting you can spend 1 hour on emails + 1 hour on a conference call + 30 minutes for a walk + 30 minutes to get organized for your next project. The time flies by.
BUT while the time does seem to slip away, it's easy to become sedentary. It's easy to get into a routine with your 3 clients, put your head down, and not see the light of day. I find it harder for artists to make boundaries since they have finally been released to work on the art and projects they have been most passionate about.
What about reframing your work load?
What if you looked at work load in 3 buckets?
Past - Present - Future
PAST : Closing out projects, sending thank you notes, filing away templates, gathering photos and reviews of the work
PRESENT : Putting in the hours to make progress with the piece, checking in with clients, updating your community or followings on your progress
FUTURE : SAY YES. By saying yes to attending a gallery opening, an random audition, a coffee date, or even a project you want to be part of (but it doesn't make you $$$), you are now opening your self up to the future. The future for a freelance artist is never exact and yet never coincidence! The great quote, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" could never be more true. Your preparation looks like these "warm" relationships you have kept up by saying YES. Don't stop with the past and present work MAKE ROOM FOR THE FUTURE.