Top Productivity Tips for Artists

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Feeling a little lost on the path to your art goals? Wishing you could be more consistent with your creative time? Looking for simple ways to stay motivated and make steady progress?


You’re not alone.

Many artists and creatives feel the same way.

We dream big, but the day-to-day realities—lack of time, low energy, distraction, self-doubt—keep us from making meaningful progress.

The truth is, you can become the focused, consistent, creatively fulfilled artist you want to be. But waiting for the perfect day to work on your art—or relying on inspiration to strike—isn't going to cut it.

It takes choosing to prioritize your art practice—and showing up with purpose and intention.

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In this post, I’m sharing five essential productivity tips that transformed my own creative journey and finally helped me achieve the success I was striving for.


These daily habits and mindset shifts took me from feeling scattered and overwhelmed to showing up confident, consistent, and energized—both in my art practice and in my life.


Let’s dive in!

If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
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1. Prioritize Your Mental and Physical Well-Being

Your health is the foundation of your creativity—and it's essential for consistent, sustainable output.

If you're constantly tired, anxious, or burned out, it becomes almost impossible to focus or find joy in your creative work.

I learned this the hard way.

For years, I was stuck in reactive mode—stressed, overwhelmed, and depressed because I never made time for the things that truly mattered to me.

That changed when I began carving out time in the mornings to nourish my body and mind.

Even just 10–15 minutes of intentional time—like journaling, walking, meditating, or enjoying a quiet tea—makes a huge difference in how you feel throughout the day.

Don’t wait until you have a perfect schedule. Start small.

Wake up 15 minutes earlier. Move your body. Feed yourself nourishing food. Set boundaries with your screen time and protect your peace by unfollowing accounts that trigger comparison.

If you’re struggling with creative block, the issue might not be your art—it might be your well-being. Start there.



2. Create a Simple, Focused To-Do List

Forget overwhelming to-do lists with 17 tasks.

That approach only leads to disappointment and burnout. Instead, I recommend choosing just 3 key priorities each day.

These are the tasks that, if nothing else gets done, will still make you feel accomplished.

I jot my to-do list in a simple notebook each afternoon for the next day. It’s based on my weekly goals, which are aligned with my long-term goals. I keep that notebook open on my desk while I work.

If lower-priority tasks don’t get done, no big deal—I just move them to the next day or reassess if they’re really necessary at all.

Be strategic. Stay flexible. And give yourself grace.

Not everything needs to get done today—only the most important things do.

Having trouble setting doable art goals?

Access my Goal-Setting for Artists workshop here. 



3. Discover Your Most Creatively Productive Time

When are you naturally most focused and energized? Morning, afternoon, evening?
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Everyone has a unique rhythm, and discovering your optimal window for deep creative work is key.

For me, it's late morning—around 9 or 10am. That’s when I feel most clear-headed and capable of focused work.
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This kind of self-awareness takes experimentation.

Try tracking your energy levels for a week. Notice when you feel most alert. And also pay attention to habits that may be throwing you off—like poor sleep, unbalanced meals, or too much caffeine.

Once you know your peak time, protect it fiercely.

Use that window for your most important creative work. If you have a full-time job or other responsibilities during those hours, dedicate that window to your art practice on weekends instead!

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4. Start Small and Give Yourself Permission to Try

If goal setting and structure feel intimidating to you, you’re not alone.

I used to avoid goals altogether because I was afraid of failing. I was scared of putting in the effort, not seeing the results I wanted and letting myself (and others) down. 

But avoiding structure didn’t help—it just kept me stuck.

What changed everything was giving myself permission to try. I allowed myself to experiment with setting goals, building better habits, and creating structure that worked for me--not some rigid system.

Start small. Pick one habit to work on this week. Or set one mini-goal that’s totally doable.

And remember: consistency beats intensity every time.

Struggling with perfectionism? You'll want to check out this video here. 



5. Build the Life You Want--One Intentional Day at a Time

Reaching your creative goals isn’t about hustle—it’s about intention.

​It's about making sure your days align with the life and creative practice you want to build.

That means saying yes to the things that truly matter, and learning to say no to distractions, self-doubt, and unrealistic expectations.

Progress doesn’t happen overnight. But with consistent effort, compassion for yourself, and the right systems in place, you will move forward.

And more importantly—you’ll actually enjoy the journey.
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If you’re serious about growing as an artist, I want to encourage you to take productivity seriously—not in a rigid, hustle-hard way, but in a way that honors your creativity and supports your well-being.

Discipline and consistency don’t stifle your creativity—they support it.

And when your art practice becomes a regular part of your life, everything changes.​

You've got this. One day, one brushstroke, one intentional decision at a time.


Let me know in the comments:

​Which of these productivity tips resonated most with you? Or do you have a favorite productivity hack of your own?

​I'd love to hear it!

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