077: It's a little bit like being a gynecologist.

on managing time as an illustrator.

It’s shaping up to be quite a busy month. A new project is coming in, another project is shipping out, while a couple of others remain ongoing and are “shaping up nicely”.

Planning a schedule as an illustrator is a mix of order and chaos.

It’s a bit like being a gynecologist. There’s the straightforward routine part of the job, the orderly part.

And then there is the chaos of deliveries. They drag on. They come early. There’s no blood though as an illustrator, maybe tears. Mostly happy tears.

Mostly 🤣

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• Keep the routine parts of the job routine and moving along in good order, get in those sketchbook minutes, finish those pages, and send out those postcards. Do Date Night, or Mornings if you have kids.

• There will be lulls on the job when waiting for feedback or contracts. Use those lulls. Keep a ‘Downtime list’ of things to do when you get downtime and recognize when you’re in downtime.

• Remember bedtimes and weekends are for muggles and children, not Gynecologists and illustrators.

• And when the inevitable chaos ensues, when all the feedback and contracts and kickoff meetings all come back on the same day be ready, it’s time for labor.