It's really easy to fall into a rut as we all know. As artists there will be patterns that we gravitate toward that become increasingly difficult to adjust. If we don't make a break for it we'll be stuck accomplishing the same tasks over and over again. Here are some artist's strategies for change.

#1.

Pick a target. But here's the thing - you have to pick the thing that you have been meaning to do for a while. Perhaps you've been thinking about doing this project for a year, or 6 months but without a firm strategy for change your rut will keep it at arms length. Maybe you want to create 20 local landscape paintings or develop  a new style for yourself. It doesn't matter what you choose but it has to be something that would never ( an I mean ever) get done unless you make changes. Your target has to be something that you are super-dooper excited about. The combination of your passion for this project and finally giving yourself the time to do it will be intoxicating -- just the place you need to be - totally hyped.

#2.

Alter your regular schedule to get out of your normal routine and make room for your project. Estimate how much time you will need and block it off. Take your calendar and/or planner and black out days for creating the new work or developing that special target project. Take a look at those days that you have just blacked out and imagine the usual tasks that you might have to take care of. Move all those tasks and responsibilities to different times that week or the previous week. Look yourself in the mirror and practice saying, "I'm not available from (date) to (date)."

#3.

The final piece to the puzzle and the thing that always magically gets things done - a realist timeline and an absolute hard-ass deadline. Treat this deadline like gold. Be concerned about missing it. Map out all the possible black-out days between then and now. Plan for your days off, laundry, groceries and every other little detail so that you can be totally focused - eyes on the prize - for your deadline.