The 15 Minute Rule

As some of you know, I’m writing a book on career skills for artists. I’ve worked on the book for a long time now, while coaching artists and keeping up with all the changes in the art world.

Sometimes I get too busy to work on the book, and then weeks or months go by, and it gets hard to get back to it. I know you sometimes have the same problem, when the demands of your life overwhelm you, and it seems impossible to work on your first priority: making art.

When you’re trying to return to a regular studio practice, try the method I use for my own work. I call it the 15 minute rule. You spend 15 minutes, every day, working on your neglected project. You do it first, before you get distracted by any other demands, and stop after 15 minutes, no matter how much you’ve accomplished. The next day you do the same thing, and when it becomes easy you build up to 30 minutes a day until you’ve re-established the rhythm of a regular practice. 

Here’s why the 15 minute rule works. First, it’s easy. You can do anything for 15 minutes! More important, it shifts your mental energy. Instead of feeling guilty about NOT working on your project, you’re back at it. Then during the rest of the day, your work is alive in your brain. You think about it, you get new ideas, you have made it real again. You’ve taken all the negative energy and guilt of “not working on it” and used it to create a fresh start.

The 15 minute rule will help you get any task done, especially those you’re avoiding. 

Note: I wrote the first draft of this post in 15 minutes.