Develop better habits, enhance your art career

Photo by Creative Commons 

“The bigger the project seems, the less likely you are to do it, because it seems like too much work. So if you really want to form good habits, start with very, very small, one push-up at a time.”  

Whether it's working in the studio at certain times of the day or three hours a week on social media, good habits can turn a successful art career into a hobby.

Habits are important for more than just essential business activities like billing and responding to emails in a timely manner. They also help you get rid of tasks that, if not done, can weigh down your mind and actually block your creativity.

Because creating a new habit can be as intimidating as a blank canvas. Here are three simple, scientifically proven ways to build habits that will help you stay focused and stay on track in your career.

STEP 1: Celebrate small victories

You have unpacked the oven. You have submitted an invoice. You purchased new supplies online. Say "Done!" A recent study confirms that it is scientifically proven that breaking down large or less interesting projects into smaller components, and then celebrating your victories, increases your productivity.

Think of a big or boring project and see if you can break it down into pieces that you can complete in 25 minutes. Use a tool like , which will multiply your productivity by 25 minutes, and when the alarm goes off, say "Done!" aloud.

Here's why it works: When you're focused on a task, your brain's electrical activity goes up. You are in the zone, you are focused, you are full of anxiety. When you say "Done!" the electrical activity in your brain changes and relaxes. This new relaxed mental attitude allows you to take on the next task without worry and builds your confidence. More confidence means more performance.

STEP 2: Link New Habits to Old Habits

Do you brush your teeth every day? Okay. You have a daily habit. What if you identify and link a small new activity to an existing habit?

Dr. B. J. Fogg, director of Stanford's Persuasion Technology Lab, did just that. Every time he goes to the bathroom at home, he does push-ups before washing his hands. He tied an easily repeatable task to an already ingrained habit. This program started off easy - he started with one push-up. Added more over time. He turned his aversion to training into a daily habit of doing one push-up, and today he does 50 push-ups a day with little resistance.

Why does this approach work? Changing a habit or creating a new one is not easy. To improve your chances, linking a new habit to an existing one is the best way to succeed. Your existing habit becomes the trigger for a new one.

Think about time spent in the studio or workplace. What existing habit during the workday can you add a new activity to? For example, every time you come into the studio in the morning and turn on the lights, you sit down at your computer and spend 10 minutes scheduling tweets. At first it will seem forced. You may even be annoyed by this activity. But over time, you will get used to this new activity, and the resistance will decrease.

STEP 3: Get over the excuses

Close your eyes and think about your ideal day or week. What is stopping you from achieving this ideal? Chances are, it's the little things that make or break your habits. These are the moments when you know you want (or should) do something, but there's an obstacle (large or small) in the way that gives you a reason to say, "No, not today."

The key to overcoming excuses is to study your behavior and figure out exactly when, and more importantly, why important tasks aren't getting done. The author tried this approach to improve gym attendance. He realized he liked the idea of ​​going to the gym, but when his alarm rang in the morning, the thought of getting out of his warm bed and going to his closet to pick out clothes was enough of a road bump to keep him going. Once he recognized the problem, he was able to solve the problem by laying out his training equipment the night before right next to his bed. Thus, when his alarm clock rang, he barely had to get up to get dressed.

You may or may not have trouble going to the gym, but you can use the same technique to identify what's holding you back throughout the day and eliminate it. Avoid these excuses.

Get into the habit.

Once habits become ingrained, they become tasks that you complete without thinking. They are light. However, forming these habits requires a bit of a strategic approach. It may seem awkward at first, but over time, you will form the habits that will form the basis of a successful career.

Looking for other ways to focus? Verify .