How to Juggle Your 9-5 While Pursuing Your Art

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together. 

- Van Gogh

This is a topic that is very near and dear to my heart because it's my every day reality. 

Am I grateful for it? Absolutely.

Am I happy with my 9-5? That’s hard to say (that's an explanation for another post).

Let me start with where I’m coming from.

Like I'm sure many creative souls out there, I work a full-time job out of necessity—not by choice—while pursuing my art on the side. It’s a balancing act—one that can be both rewarding and exhausting. My husband and I don't live in a particularly fruitful economy at the moment, and we live not only in one of the most expensive states in the US, but one of the most expensive zip codes in California. So we must have a dual-income household, and my income unfortunately does not come from my art (although I'd like for that to happen one day!)

I'm not complaining because this is our choice. And regardless, no matter what kind of job I work, whether I hate it or love it, income must flow into our household. 

You could call this stoicism (or if we're being cynical, you could call it acceptance of complacency—but am I really accepting this complacency when every day, I'm fighting against it with my art? Another post for another day). 

The main point of this blog: How do you juggle both without feeling the burn out? The frustration? What do I tell myself to hang in there? How do I still motivate myself after a long day of staring at a screen? How can I squeeze creative time into every day?

1. Make A Schedule, Build A Ritual

I would be lying if I had a set schedule. I don't have a calendar I look at daily and see "Make Art" as my to-do for Wednesdays. But I do believe having a nice ritual can lead you to be more productive in your art. Here's an example: 

Get home, make dinner, art. 

Sometimes, it's that simple. 

BUT... I know it's sounds easier than it is (which will be explained in my next point) because I understand that nothing sounds better than getting home after a long day at work, making dinner, and then be a couch potato for the remainder of the night. Maybe finish binging that series you've been watching or doom scrolling on our phones.

But making art is a lot like working out. The hardest part is showing up. But once you're in motion, the resistance fades. Rarely do we regret creating—just like we never regret getting that workout in. It's the inertia, the mental buildup before we begin, that feels heavy. Whether it’s fear of starting, perfectionism, or just a long day at work, remember: starting is the only hurdle. Even 10 minutes with your sketchbook or at your easel is worth it.

And you see results when you stick to this ritual A.K.A. remain consistent. Just like working out.

2. Work With Your Energy, Not Against It

This point is probably contradictory to the first one I made, but let me explain.

I'm actually a huge believer in rest and recouping because burnout  is a very real thing and something that I've experienced one too many times (see point 4). 

So if your energy is low and you don't have it in you to create, then don't. 

If your inspiration is too low to create, then don't. 

But when I say work with your energy, not against it, what I'm trying to say is just notice when you feel most inspired or focused, and align your art sessions with those windows instead of forcing creativity when you’re drained.

That’s not to say you should stay stuck in that uninspired bubble—no one enjoys that feeling. Rest and recovery are essential, but they don’t have to mean total stillness. Inspiration often hides in motion. Take a walk, spend time with someone you love, or explore a different hobby. You never know what moment might quietly spark your inspiration to create again.

3. Embrace Small Goals and "Micro-Making"

I used to have the (very problematic) mentality of "if I'm only painting for 10 or 15 minutes, what's the point?" and then, I don't paint at all. 

That's a huge mistake.

I think my perspective completely changed when I told myself it's totally okay to paint for 15 minutes a day—that's 100% better than nothing. So I've gotten into the habit of writing down really small goals and embracing "micro-making". For example, some of my goals nowadays look like this: 

• - Warm up painting a 2" x 3" still life
• - Complete painting 2 lily pads
  

These two goals take about roughly 30 minutes (or up to an 2 hours, depending how detailed I want to be). But it's better what I used to write, which would be something like this: 

• - Complete entire 20" x 30" painting by end of week
• - 20 sketches by end of month
• - 5 paintings by July

This list sounds way more exhausting, and to be honest, stressful. Now I put pressure on myself for these goals that I'll most likely not complete and avoid creating art all together.

You have to show up for yourself in really small ways, even if that means squeezing in only 10 minutes of working on your art. You show up for your job every day, right? So why can't you show up for yourself by setting these small goals?

4. Accept That Some Weeks Will Be Off, So Just Rest

I already touched on this earlier in point 2, so I’ll keep it brief.

There have been plenty of times where I pushed myself to make art even when I was physically, mentally, and emotionally drained—and guess what? The work almost never turned out well. Sometimes I’d even mess up something that was totally fine to begin with. All because I forced myself when everything else told me otherwise. 

I’ve realized I create best when I’m calm, inspired, and happy. That’s just who I am. I know that’s not true for everyone—some artists thrive on emotion and use their practice as an outlet (something I wish I could do). 

But this still holds true for all of us: if you’re feeling off, it’s okay to rest.

We live in a culture that glorifies constant output, even at the expense of our health. And as we get older, we start to feel guilty for resting. But rest isn’t a luxury—it’s a requirement. You can’t show up fully, creatively or otherwise, if you’re running on empty.

5. Create From Joy, Not Pressure

This point is pretty straight-forward but I'll just include my two cents.

I'm sure it's easy for some to think: I HAVE to make it as an artist... OR ELSE! 

Or else what?

I've definitely fallen into that trap—that trap of thinking I need to make it as an artist or else I'm not fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine. That I have to make it as an artist because I have to escape my 9-5, that I have to make it as an artist because I don't know what I'll do. 

But somewhere along the way, that pressure started to suffocate the joy that art used to bring me.

We forget: your art should energize and heal you, not feel like another job. Just remind yourself the “why” behind your practice. Tell that little three or five year old inner self that you still love art as much as you did back then and continue to make them proud every day.

I'm sure after reading all of this, you could think to yourself, "Well this just seems like a bandaid to everything I'm feeling." Sometimes life deals you certain cards and you must make choices that don't align with what you originally envisioned for yourself. That is not something to dwell or grieve over but instead, see what you can do with the time that is given to you. 

Some days will be harder than others and you'll question why you should keep continuing this beautiful pursuit we call art and the creative spirit. Just remind yourself your dreams aren't put on pause, they're just being delayed for a better date, for a better you.

Perhaps this is all stuff I'm telling myself to feel better about my current situation, but I don't see the harm in doing so. 

If you're curious to see what’s come out of this space lately, take a peek at my most recent paintings here or follow along on my socials (Instagram, Tiktok and Pinterest) for latest updates. Or you could sign up for my newsletter to stay up-to-date on new completed artwork, blog posts, available work, content and more. 

Until next time!