The Latest Time Budget iteration

It’s amazing to me that we are already in the middle of June. It feels like the year has barely begun. Maybe because I have barely begun several of the projects that I had planned for this year.

Deadlines are supposed to be an antidote to procrastination. Thing is, I’m not good with self-imposed deadlines. I feel a lack of urgency. 

Missed self-imposed deadlines have no consequences attached.

Therefore I have found that allotting time is more helpful.

There is a saying in the movie business - a “real” deadline costs money if it’s missed. Perhaps what I need is to consider what missing my own deadlines is costing me.

Money - I want to make money from my work - all my different work. I make more from dolls when I have a full inventory in my store. I came to a recent realization that if I want my businesses to be successful, I need to be professional and actually put in the hours AS IF I were working for someone else. Every day that I don’t work on a project is a day that I am not earning anything. Plus I risk missing opportunities.

Time - I hate to admit it, but I am getting older. I have so many ideas for screenplays, for stories, for Craft-It-Easy projects, for creativity coaching - if I put these things off I may run out of life time.

Efficiency - I have a view of myself as efficient at work, and I don’t like drills or wasted motion. I was always very organized in my theater work and movie jobs. My challenge has been bringing that same smoothness and ease into my work-at-home life. I often feel scattered and inefficient. I have much more trouble defining cause and effect, or structuring a time line at home.

Here’s my time budget at the moment.

I wanted to build in a 40 hour work week - although so far it’s been tough working around my home non-work responsibilities. The numbers are hours allotted to the activity.

Monday

4 x general Writing (and writing development)

4 x Creativity Blast writing and tweets

Tuesday & Wednesday

6 x Screenwriting

2 x Craft-It-Easy

Thursday

4 x Writing (general, crafting, NLM)

2 x Craft-It-Easy

2 x Scrapbooking (Design team work)

Friday

4 x Design/Professional Development

4 x Art Doll design

I am trying here to allot time proportionally by importance - defined as longer term financial viability, as well as some urgency. I do owe a script re-write at the moment.

I have left the weekend for family fun, ongoing declutter (somewhat stalled by life and death intruding) and personal crafting. Last weekend I spent working on a gift doll (so not for sale - but she sure is nice).

We shall see. Big day of writing tomorrow.