How Do You Stay Focused?

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Lilliana,

When I was an artist, 2014 to 2018, I made plans for a series of works. Using what are called constructs, or the underlying elements of what I was going to put together. Choosing constructs where I could make the series and move the constructs as I went work to work. This would form a collection/series/gallery, etc.......then I would find other constructs for another collection etc.....

This kept me very productive. On a certain level I had less to think about while making the art, and I could then go into thoughts about composition and other things because I had more freedom to decide what would be in the work.

Dave Bridburg
Bridburg.com
Post Modern Gallery

By watching re-runs of The Munster's and brushing-up on one-liners. The most important thing in times of stress for me is eating healthy and taking care of yourself... don't give into stress and let your guard down by eating tons of junk food and lying around doing nothing.

I have a hard time keeping going at home with my art. One little trick I sometimes do is that I get a kitchen timer and set it for ten to twenty minutes, and work until it goes off. Working in little spurts like that can keep the momentum going.

David, you're not an artist anymore? What happened?

If you know what you are focusing on then it is easy, if you are just browsing on things then , you keep browsing until something catches your eye or mind then you jump on the tripod and stabilize your self and adjust the focus 😆

i lost focus a bit. and as long as i can keep death out of my head, i can sort of focus. i'm just taking my time on things, doing a little at a time when i have the energy. ideally this is no different than i normally work, except everything is closed and i can't get near people for any real reason.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I'm not staying focused, not at all, and I figure I'll just give into it for a week or so and go with it. There is nothing I absolutely need to do anyway.

This virus crisis is so out of the ordinary to us, I think we just need to adapt and figure out Plan B. It takes some adjustment, which means it takes a little time. I'm giving myself that time.

the weird thing is, it feels like i just lost my job and i'm just sort of bumming around, watching tv, and looking stuff up. though thinking about it, that's what i normally do anyway. but i'm just getting less stuff done. or maybe the topic i'm doing is boring and i'm just trying to fill out another category.

the only good news is listening to people who had it, and it lasted like a day, some didn't even know they had it, and many other recovered without too much issue, that's what i'm hoping here. and now that our state is telling doctors and dentists that they can't do any major work on people (not sure how emergencies fit in). there is a less of a chance i can get it from one of his patients. so that's one less distraction.

and now we ordered bidets, which should totally get my attention, especially with ice cold water. that should get me to focus.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Mike
You panic and sweat for all the little changes in life. You panic about the PayPal account.
You panic about toilet paper.
You dont have a job because you are self employed artist .You can not focus when you have nothing to focus, so instead of focusing on something good to do your attentions are grabbed by the TV.
Like me, I dont focus because I dont have anything to focus or need to focus on anything.
However I do focus on everything I need to without panic.
It's ok to keep busy talking with us share your thoughts on things here , that will help you to focus on the forum here 😆

What's happening in the world which I have no control of many places I used to go are closed and I hardly go out anymore. However, I am grateful I have food, shelter, heat, and plenty of art supplies. One thing I have complete control is my art-making, Since the beginning of this year, I had produced more than thirty paintings.

tony you don't know me, so you can't judge me.

and you can't base my personality on a few whimsical posts.

----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Murray,

I am marketing my art prints. I am a marketer now.

I am learning a lot about the piano. I am becoming a composer. What I have always wanted to do.

Dave Bridburg
Bridburg.com
Post Modern Gallery

Mike , I am glad to here you are more than what you have let us believe from those whimsical posts.
I am not not judging but concerned.
If you are good then all is good mike.
Cheers
** updated with new posr

Liliana,

These are definitely unusual times, like I have never seen in my life, and yes... even though I am retired, I often find it difficult to focus on my art and photography. Presently, I am just trying to focus on making it through each day by making sure we have the things we need and that we do what we can to reduce our risks for exposure to this new disease.

You are talented and have some interesting art, however you have been here almost a year and only have 19 images and no biography.

I recommend you first focus on staying safe and healthy, then add more images and a biography.

Oh.... and keep a sense of humor and then spread that to family and friends.

The place where I work is still open, so no time off for me, dammit.

I stay focused by staying occupied on the task at hand, today it was cutting two tree stumps,installing a grab bar,cleaning the roof gutters for a customer ,then go home and cutting my 1.75 acres of grass,cleaning and doing a water exchange on my koi pond,creating a meal of fresh cod and potatoes Valencia style,fixing a section of broken fence.

Not dwelling on the negative, living life one day at a time. Dismissing the mentality of the "crowds" dismissing "common sense" seeking sense than is far from common.

This works for me in all I do, art work or non art work. In my art I opened my ebay store again, printed close to 50 of my own 13" x19' prints, listed them in my store. Took a few new images and edited them and also added them to my gallery.

How do I stay focused, I just DO IT!

Mike , I am glad to here you are more than what you have us believe from those whimsical posts.
I am not not judging but concerned.
If you are good then all is good mike.
Cheers
** updated
** so ,..those posts you call as whimsical are marketing ploys to get the people talking about you.
500000+ members , even 1% is 5000 people
Even 1 % of that actually look at and talk to others that's a lot of free advertising.
Smart guy! I am not worrying about you anymore.
Now I know why you are jumping in to all and every conversation with some good advise or mostly arguement to get the things going.
Not a bad marketing strategy.
Couple of points to ponder.
- it is ok to make whimsical statements however under the circumstances it may be equivalent to shouting "fire" at crowded theaters.
- two drops of blood is all it takes to analyze and find a person's health of the whole body.
🍺 have fun with your whimsical talk, I wan't take any of them seriously.

I stay focused by doing three important .... (excuse me, I have to take this call) .... so, as I was saying, I stay focused by doing three ... (Thor!, what the ___ are you into now!), .... so, to stay focused, I ... (I'm hungry -- a burger and lemonade sounds really good), ... yeah, focused by doing these three things, first of which i ......... (oo!, shiny!)

As many of you know I am working towards my MFA in Italy. I just returned to the USA because the travel advisories pretty much told us we would not get help if we stayed in Italy. All of us students have experienced problems with focus. I am a TA in one of our undergraduate class and found out the undergraduates have the same problems. I have come to terms with my lack of focus and am creating tiny quick works. This way the pressure is off me to produce and keep my focus. Be kind to yourself right now. Do what feels comforting, even if that means you are not creating the work you did before the outbreak. Try to pamper yourself with things you normally would not find time to do. Most of all shut off the news. The best we can do right now is stay home and only go out for essential food shopping. You don't need a news station to tell you that. Do everything you can to keep your immune systems strong.

Iris...wow...back from Italy where so much is going on, & what a disruption to your studies (what a wonderful experience that is). Stay well.

Overall...I find myself to be not focused - I had plans to start some oil paintings this month, haven't done that (now the thought is - what's the point, what's the hurry, our art group's spring show has been cancelled, plenty of time for the fall show, etc.).

I have another hobby (I enjoy studying astrology) & even that I'm having trouble focusing on (other than read what people in my study group are talking about).

David...how wonderful that you are learning piano, with the goal of being a composer! That's awesome. And marketing your own prints - great!

J L Meadows...I feel for you! 😀

So Lillliana - I don't know if you got any insights from all the answers - but my best way for myself is, making a commitment publicly - The only reason I think I'm continuing with my daily WC pen and ink sketches is because it was a self-imposed commitment/challenge that I announced on my FB - I can't let my own pledge down, now can I!??


Vanaja

Fine wine is doing it for me, plus fine dinning at home and fine music.

LMAO @ Robert! I can so relate.

Could never focus around here during the best of times. Too much chaos between 2-leggeds and 4-leggeds demanding attention. My most beloved kitty is still young and he reminds me of a 2-year-old. Have to keep him occupied or he gets into trouble so I have to either play with him or watch him like a hawk. He's a leaper, and nearly every surface in my home is covered with fragile objects.

When he finally wears down and crashes out on my lap, there'll inevitably be some sort of ruckus nearby that startles him awake, then I have to comfort him and pray he'll settle back down again. But he doesn't.

I enjoy being up in the wee hours because that's the only time I get any peace around here but now the wild tom turkeys who roost outside my window are gobbling their fool heads off all night long to impress the ladies, which sets off the peacocks and roosters who are also vying to impress their ladies.

And like Robert, I too am part Raven. I get lost in shiny objects. Yesterday after it snowed and hailed, the sun came out and all the droplets on the fir trees outside my window refracted like diamonds, or the tiny twinkle Christmas lights that come in prismatic colors. There was a bit of a breeze so the droplets kept flashing through the spectrum. Before I knew it, an hour had gone by and I was still staring at all the pretty colors, jaw dropped, like the village idiot.

And anyway, "Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?"

Mario, great way to relax ,
fine wine and dine that is my way too. Lol

Pamper yourself, yes , not once in a while , do it often as you can, life is too short to put it off for special occasions.
I am special so every occasion is special lol.
Nice sunny day again here in Cali, getting ready to go out.
Take care everyone, stay focus on enjoying the day.
🍺

Sex.

Since I live in a place where I can walk out my front door, directly into the city or out my back door into a thousand acres of tall forest, lately, I've been using the back door a lot more. Being a city guy, that's been taking some discipline. I guess I will learn to appreciate croaking frogs.

Staying focused is easy for me. Working on long term projects allows for less pressure restraints do to deadline commitments.

Currently Verrochio's Worshop is adding a brick & mortar addition to its online presence. This means I am building a physical workshop in the backyard for things like fabrication and metal casting.

With the abnormal winter and early spring Florida heat, an early start on the workshop expedited the progress. Also, my son's schooling is now online therefore he is more available to help with the project.

Lastly, my second a animated film is close to completion. It will be a little over 20 minutes long and feature artwork from artists who are FAA members and others who may be recognized by their commercial success.

Lately, I'm not focused. But I figure it's all part of the process.

Not sure as to which thread is appropriate for the following so I'm posting it everywhere:


"When I'm quiet, I seem to be coming down with all sorts of ailments.

So I have been forcing myself to keep busy, (especially mentally)..Stirring things up here on this forum and on Facebook.

Now, though, I'm being forced by outside forces, selling art that requires me to take action.

Checking these tangible pieces out, packing them and trying to decide when it's opportune it get out of this house, to ship them.

One of these days, I'll venture beyond my mailbox


One thing that's kinda nice today..It's warm enough to open the windows and let FRESH AIR in. "

Funny thing is, if I ever did get to work at home, I wonder if I'd get too lonely without people around. My twin and my sister are dead, and I don't have time or energy for a social life. I don't even have a pet. Sucks.

J L.

Here we are side by side again.

Let's make a commitment, that together, instead of being depressed, we get ANGRY and we'll do EVERYTHING to defeat this terrible attack

@JL you can get a pet rock. just add paint. they come in all sizes, and you can use it to smoosh things.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

- deleted-

As it happens, Roger, the reason my workplace is still open is because we're deemed "essential", so I guess I'm doing my part...

J L

You are also essential here creating your wonderful art

AF on the camera dial

I clean my glasses often.

Mario, that is great advice.
I went to see my eye doctor once and told her I think my eyesite is getting dull can't focus , she told me the same thing , clean your glasses.
She said it without a smile and also cleaned it for me! Great service.

Tony, I've learned over the years that it's always best to try the most simple repair first. You would be surprised at how many times my customers tell me there coffee pot or air conditioner or garbage disposal stopped working.I charge buy the job not the hour and can't tell you how many times I fixed all those things buy just resetting the breakers or unplugging and then plugging in the cord. :-)

Thank you, Roger. I admire your kindness and sense of humor so much!

Lililliana ,
I don't know how to push your button,
All you need is to find your Auto Focus in your life and push it, then it will go smoothly and automatically. 😊

I also lost focus a week or so ago.

I am sure it is temporary but to keep the anxiety at a minimum I rely on Netflix and Amazon Prime to entertain me and keep my mind on trivial fun as I am going through all my images and editing them. Mostly keywords and descriptions.

It is a big undertaking but I think in the end it will pay off. Besides, it might take time but time is something I have an overabundance of these days.