Making Time for Creativity

Tips for cultivating a creative practice

Making time for creativity enhances well-being and fosters personal expression. By prioritizing creativity, we cultivate a habit that encourages exploration and experimentation. Creativity encourages us to express our thoughts, emotions, and ideas. I’ve always believed that art is a form of healing, expression, and connection; The art we create reflects who we are, what we believe, and how we see the world around us. Allowing ourselves time to create nurtures our well-being, enriches our lives, and contributes to a more balanced, fulfilled existence. 

Carving out time for painting, music, writing, and other creative endeavors takes diligence and the willingness to change our daily habits. I’ve been a full-time artist for almost a decade, and I still struggle some days to make time to paint for fun. For me, it came down to assessing my daily tasks to find gaps in my schedule and recognizing when I was wasting time on social media in the never-ending doom scroll (yes, I’ll admit, social media had me in its nasty grip). I also realized that a dedicated space for creative exploration made art-making accessible. While this isn’t the perfect or complete list of how to make time for art, I’ve compiled a handful of tips to help you make time for painting, writing, making music, or whatever brings you joy.

Painting at my easel. I used this one for years before recently switching to a drafting table. (Photo by Lady Mountain Films)

Building the Framework

Block out time. Painting is just as important as exercising and other daily activities (at least for me), so why not commit to enriching both my body and mind? I use block scheduling for my business, and it’s been a great tool for staying on task while carving out time for myself. Having a visual representation of each day helps me see the gaps in my schedule for creative time. Look at your schedule every day of the week and see if there are any small gaps for creative time. If you wake up fifteen minutes early, could you sketch while drinking coffee? Do you have more time available in the evenings after dinner? The time is there—we just need to work with it.

Consistency and building momentum. Instead of waiting for the perfect time to create or for inspiration to strike, set a small goal to create for fifteen minutes a day. In fifteen minutes, you can play with color mixes, sketch quick gestural drawings, practice brushstrokes, or even begin a first wash on a painting. Some days, I only have time for a quick wash of color on paper, but that wash excites me to return to the studio to paint again. I like to think of it this way: what if I only had fifteen minutes to paint? I don’t have time to think about what if or what could...I only have time to get paint on paper. You’d be amazed at what you can dish out in fifteen minutes! With practice, it's easier to dedicate more time to creating; soon, your fifteen minutes will turn into thirty minutes, and then an hour. *Remember, your creative time can be spread throughout your day; it doesn’t have to happen all at once. 

 Limit distractions. Where are you spending your time? One of my resolutions for 2025 was to reduce my social media screen time. It’s been a slow start; however, I’ve noticed increased productivity and more time spent painting and sketching. It’s important to recognize the time you have and where it’s spent; can you spend less time watching TV or doom scrolling? Maybe mute notifications? Instead of scrolling while drinking your morning tea, try sketching in a small sketchbook or jotting down ideas in a notebook. 

Set boundaries. Your time spent creating is just as important as any other daily task. Creativity is self-care for many, including myself. Some boundaries I set include silencing notifications, responding to emails and calls after studio time, and scheduling non-negotiable time blocks for personal work in my calendar.  

Showing up. Sometimes, just picking up a pencil and scribbling on paper is enough. What you create doesn’t have to be good or frame-worthy; it just has to happen.

Preparing Your Creative Space

Dedicated space. Having a space to work makes the creative process easier. This space is different for everyone. It can be the corner of your living room, the kitchen table, the edge of the couch, or even on the living room floor. My studio is where I work and teach, but the little corner of my living room is where I paint for fun. It’s full of windows and gives me a perfect view of my bird feeders—I find nature inspiring, so it’s the perfect spot to paint. In any case, having a dedicated space for your creative energies will make you more likely to sit down and create.

Having supplies accessible will also make creating easier if you don’t have to set up every time you want to paint. I keep my supplies in a bag and a bin for easy access and storage. 

If your dedicated space is small or you can’t leave supplies set up, try creating a small kit that can be easily stored in your selected space. This kit can have your favorite supplies and tools or just the essentials. For example, my drafting table folds, making it easy to store when I’m not painting, and I have an art bag to store my supplies when I’m finished painting.

Some of my favorite art supplies that I’ve gathered for my creative space. (Photos by Shiloh Leath Photography)

Become a Creature of Habit

Find your rhythm. When are you most creative? Are you an early bird or a night owl? I prefer painting early in the morning when the sun begins to rise. I love morning light, and I’m most productive in those early hours.  

Creative ritual. Make your dedicated time for creating special. I’ve discovered it’s helpful to start a new habit by adding it to an existing routine. I start my mornings with a hot cup of tea and listening to birds on my back porch. If it’s cold, I watch them at the feeders from the window. Somedays I’ll light a candle and read a few poems. It’s a simple warmup to set the vibe for painting. What is something easy and quick to start your creative practice? Do you like tea or coffee? Listening to music? Comfy socks? Stretching? Find something that helps you ease into art-making.  

Not in the mood to create during your designated time for art-making? Somedays just aren’t for painting (or drawing, writing, etc.). If you find yourself not in the mood to create, do something that will inspire your creativity. Sometimes, I’ll find myself in a funk—even if I do all the steps to prepare for painting. When I feel this way, I go for a walk or hike, watch nature documentaries, or look through some art books and magazines. Seeking inspiration is equally as important as making time for your art. 

Give Yourself Some Grace

Making time for art-making is a practice that takes commitment and patience. If you start small with just fifteen minutes per day, or even just a few days a week, your practice will gradually grow. Remember, this time is for your creativity to flourish; don’t worry about perfection or if your art is “good enough”. Just start making art and let those creative juices flow.  

I hope this list was helpful and has inspired you to examine your daily routine. What changes can you make? Remember, any time (no matter how little) carved out for creativity is time well spent.

Let me know in the comments below if I’ve missed any helpful tips or how you make time for art-making and creativity!