Working from doesn't mean more art time
Here I am at home just about to begin the second week of being grounded by the Prime Minister and the latest update is we could have this for possibly 6 months! So, lots of extra time to spend painting in my studio, right? Not quite!
Other than being able to go out for one form of exercise a day and visit a shop for essentials everyone is meant to stay at home. Now, I've been able to work from home for some time but I was at least able to break my day up by going out or even popping back to my office. Not any longer. I've quickly realised that one needs a routine such that the weekdays feel different to the weekends and the weekday evenings feel different to the working daytime. Otherwise, the next 6 months are going to feel awfully long.
My strategy is to get up at my normal time around 6am and walk the dogs for an hour. On my return time for breakfast and coffee and then I set myself up in my study to work. With telephone and Skype calls and emails working from is not really any different to being in the office. With one exception…no colleagues. So, we have an solution in the form of a WhatsApp group and my colleagues and I randomly chat by phone and Skype during the day. Not much different to the random chats one has at work. I still feel connected so it seems to be working.
There are some benefits to working from home.Im now having regular breaks and I even stop for lunch. This rarely happens at work due to being too busy. Not good, I know, but it's a fact. I can also have ClassicFM playing in the background which I can't do in an open plan office. Bliss!
By 4pm I'm done. Time to get changed (yes, I still dres for the office - no pyjama working here!). This is important - I need to feel as though my day has changed from work to private time. So now I can throw on some old clothes and return to my studio. Painting time can commence!
Of course, some days I don't paint at all. This is because as a selling artist I also need to attend to the marketing and advertising side of things. Not as fun as painting but essential.
So you see, although I would love to spend my entire day painting it's really not an option and keeping my days segmented helps keep a balance. Quite what I'll do when I retire and have no job to occupy me is uncertain. I think I may have to increase my voluntary work! Don't misunderstand me. I love painting but it can't be the only thing I do.
How are you all coping with being confined to barracks? Do comment and share your experience. Or go and visit my online shop and have a browse.
