#28 managing stress while making art

Being an artist it is sometimes uncertain where ones work will come from, will there even be any. I am currently in the middle of three projects, beginning a fourth project in a week or two. Two of these are large commissions, one is through an ongoing client which is an important part of my income and the fourth is a crazy freelance gig that is just plain fun. With these projects being simultaneously created with four different deadlines (fortunately they are all at varying times) you'd think I'd be stressed out beyond anything you've ever seen. I'm not bragging that I'm doing alright, well maybe a little actually. Well, I'm actually learning how to manage my stress now as it is something that I really want to keep under control and I feel that logging it into cyberspace will allow me to return to read it if I feel the stress coming on with a vengeance. I imagine much of my life will be like this as you cannot predict what is coming down the tube. It is all up to the big guy upstairs. So in the meantime, I do my very best to make deadlines and make everyone happy while continuously looking for work. For the last 2 months though I've been tested and failed. I'm proud to say, however, that if I follow a couple of rules than I will be alright. Perhaps everything can be looked as a lesson to be learned from. Well, for the last couple of months with some deadlines coming in all directions from unrelated projects I'd like to offer up what I've learned. THE most important thing that I learned is stress can be a killer. It is not only unhealthy to be stressed, it is also not very fun. Who wants to be around a cranky, bald man who is no fun and is a work-a-holic? The answer is NO ONE!! Well, living in a house full of wonderful girls (my gf, her two daughters and one kitty) the prospect of me being boring is NOT cool! So, I've been forced to focus my attention on how to not be stressed. The answer is FOCUS! If I lose my focus and start dabbling at one thing and two minutes later go to something else and so on, then I end up feeding my stress. Stress is fed on this kind of behavior. My girlfriend caught me at my very very worst one day when I had managed to walk to three of my projects within a minute. I was very fortunate that that day my love was with me to take notice. I would not be writing this if it wasn't for her discovery. When I focus on one thing at a time (and I do mean focus with 110% of my being) I accomplish great things and fast. A great thing happened to me last week when I told myself I was going to focus on one project. Well, one of the projects was full of things that needed my attention so I picked an area that was in the least completed state and worked on it until it was done. I told myself I wasn't leaving for lunch until it was done. I finished that shoe VERY fast! Not only that but it looks very good. What I learned is focusing with all of your being is incredibly important. I then switched to one of my other projects and did the same thing and voila! Miracle!! Then I started thinking that is all I need to do and I'll get everything done and on time. What a great feeling. Well, the next day I realized I cannot do that everyday. Somedays are simply bad days and it was important that I not work if I did not feel inspired to do so. But it was the following day that I felt an incredible rush of juice. I was in the zone like no other day. This was Saturday, last week I think. When I went to lunch I remember still feeling in the zone and able to focus, yet aware of my surroundings. It was a bizarre feeling, one that made me think of some kind of high. I hadn't done any drugs, it was the intensity of working and focusing so hard that continued outside of work. This surreal feeling enlightened me to how I was improving my stress levels for the last few weeks and I felt compelled to share this. Although I don't feel that I have an answer to stress and how to manage it entirely, I am fairly certain that if I let things get to me than I have failed and the stress has won. I must remember in those situations to focus with all of my being on what is of utmost priority. Making a goal such as do this until so and such is done or do this for 3 hours than move on has helped me so much and I hope any of you reading might be able to apply it to your life. Have a good night all...