Sounds like a paradox, doesn’t it?
“What do you mean, I have more time? I barely have any time now, with the (fill in your job, family, or bills here)!”
Life is always there, no matter what we do. What I am talking about here, though, is that when a creative team or person has a consistent shipping schedule, they often have more time than they think. What bothers me, is when we as creatives decide to squander it by thinking short-term.
The benefit of shipping consistently is that you build trust. Once you’ve gained a certain amount of trust, it is worth your time to expend some of it by creating boundaries. No becomes a more important word the more work you do.
When you create that time, it is critical you get uncomfortable. That clarifying conversation? Have it. That weird experiment that might not work? Do it. The point is that in building boundaries, you give yourself the space to do the things that “go first.” Those are often the “soft” things that evaporate under pressure.
As Tom Peters says – “Soft is hard. Hard is soft”The trick is, understanding your boundaries and realizing you can say no. Everyone thinks that thier request is a fire. It is your job as your self-advocate to determine what is and what isn’t and move forward.
Give yourself time. You’ve got more than you think, and it isn’t worth squandering.
From the desk of Adam Thomas 